Skatepark of Baltimore Grand Opening Saturday, May 3rd

The skatepark of Baltimore Phase 1 is complete and they are celebrating with a grand opening this Saturday! Shout out to Stephanie Murdock for all her hard work on this project. press release below:

Skatepark of Baltimore
Grand Opening
(Baltimore, MD) The Skatepark of Baltimore is holding an all-day, free grand opening event celebrating the completion of Phase I of a public, professionally-designed skatepark built at Roosevelt Park in Hampden on May 3, 2014 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

For the past nine years, the all-volunteer nonprofit has advocated on behalf of the 30,000 skateboarders of Baltimore to build a world-class, concrete skatepark in the City of Baltimore. Thanks to its partnership with the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks (BCRP), the first phase of the skatepark, a 5,000 square foot concrete bowl and surrounding banks, was completed in February. The nationally-recognized firm, Artisan Skateparks, constructed the skatepark based on local community-led designs. Phase I of the $180,000 project was funded by donations made to the organization and matched by BCRP. Fundraising for Phases II and III are underway, with plans to complete the entire park by 2016.

Ernest Burkeen, BCRP Director, and Stephanie Murdock, Founder and President of the Skatepark of Baltimore, will lead opening remarks for an estimated crowd of 1,000 well-wishers at 12:30 p.m. Dave Duncan, Pro Skateboarder and voice of World Cup Skateboarding, will be the Master of Ceremonies for the day-long event.

Speaking at the ceremony will be members of the Baltimore City Delegation to the Maryland State Legislature (District 40) including State Senator Catherine Pugh, Delegate Shawn Tarrant, and Delegate Barbara Robinson. The ceremony will also be attended by members of the Baltimore City Council: Bill Henry, District 4, Carl Stokes, District 12, Nick Mosby, District 7, and Mary Pat Clarke, District 14. Representatives of the Office of the Honorable Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Office of Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young will also be in attendance.

The event will feature live music throughout the day and skate demonstrations by local and regional shops including: AWOL, Charm City, DC Wheels, and Vu Skate Shop. Activities will include a graffiti wall and skatepark design workshops. Refreshments will be available in a beer garden serving Flying Dog and food from area merchants.

Founded in 2006, the Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building a professionally custom designed, public destination concrete skatepark at Roosevelt Park in Hampden, a neighborhood located in northwestern Baltimore. The organization anticipates that once the park is completed, it will serve as many as 100 youth a day and up to 36,500 a year.

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