The Issue – Skateboarding and skateparks have long taken a backseat to public park and other valued city amenities like baseball, softball, basketball, tennis, hockey, football, playgrounds, swimming/wading pools, tetherball, horseshoes, etc.
The X Games has chosen Minnesota for its home for 4 years through 2020 and skateboarding has been added to the Olympics, debuting at Tokyo 2020.
The outstanding Minnesota skateboard community that includes world class skaters like Stillwater’s Nicole Hause and Rochester’s Alec Majerus deserve QUALITY skateparks just as the participants of other activities.
To help cities and park programs meet the needs of their youth and communities, City of Skate has helped initiate a $5M Minnesota Statewide Skate Park Grant Program that must be passed by our MN State Legislature and Governor Dayton this spring.
About – State Senate Bill SF 4019 and companion MN House Bill 4423
These bills have two parts that will provide funds for new quality skatepark construction and renovations throughout the state of Minnesota.
1) $3M of funds for grants of up to $250,000 per project. 50% of these projects will be outside the Twin Cities metro area.
2) $2M toward a large regional skatepark that will provide a statewide draw. Examples of regional skateparks: Arvada, CO; Houston; and San Diego.
How to help – Rally your mother, friends, skaters, and grandpa to contact your State House and State Senator representatives, along with Gov. Mark Dayton by email, phone, and/or letter. Express what skateboarding means to you and why it is important for your community. Ask your representative to support and champion this skatepark bill that benefits youth, communities and our state.
– Find your MN State House and MN State Senator representatives –