Pledge to make a difference, together.

The Skatepark Project

1203 ACTIVITY DR,
VISTA, CA 92081-8510,
USA

Donate Start Fundraiser

$3,671 raised via 111 donations

Our Mission

We help underserved communities create safe and inclusive public skateparks for youth.

Our Impact

T
The Skatepark Project posted an impact story
over 5 years ago — Vista, CA

The Tony Hawk Foundation has awarded international youth charity Skateistan a $50,000 grant to support the organization’s skateboarding and educational programs. Skateistan operates five schools in South Africa, Cambodia, and Afghanistan, and combines skateboarding instruction with core subjects to inspire youth to learn and to be active. This is the second grant awarded to Skateistan by the Tony Hawk Foundation. The first was a $100,000 gift in 2015 and represented the launch of THF’s International Program. The current grant renews the foundation’s commitment to enriching the lives of youth through skateboarding, both in the U.S. and abroad. “We’re proud to continue our support for Skateistan,” said Tony Hawk, who also serves on Skateistan’s Global Advisory Board. “Knowing what they’ve achieved, and seeing what they have planned, I am confident they will bring skateboarding and educational services to even more at-risk youth around the world. It’s an honor to be an avocation of their incredible work” Skateistan continues to expand its free services to children in some of the most challenging places on Earth, through its programs, and assisting other youth-serving organizations. The universal appeal of skateboarding for young people is evident in the enthusiasm of students across the Skateistan campuses, where many students are living with disabilities, and, in some locations, more than fifty percent of students are girls. Skateboarding will also debut as an Olympic sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

T
The Skatepark Project posted an impact story
over 5 years ago — Wyandotte, MI

Your town doesn’t have to be a Metropolis to need a skatepark. The Tony Hawk Foundation has understood this since it began its work in 2002, assisting communities large and small to create free, quality public skateparks throughout the U.S., and helping fund them through the foundation’s Skatepark Grant Program. Last year, THF partnered with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to create the Built to Play Skatepark Program to further serve communities in Southeast Michigan and Western New York. No matter where you live, THF is there to help. In fact, over the years THF has guided thousands of advocates and contributed over $9-million to help create 623 public skateparks in all 50 States, including twelve projects in the Built to Play region. “The skatepark-grant program is creating recreational opportunities that weren’t previously available for young people,” said Built to Play Skatepark Manager Trevor Staples. “Not only are more public skateparks being developed, but local citizens, municipalities, and organizations are working together to help make a positive impact in young people’s lives.”

T
The Skatepark Project posted an impact story
about 6 years ago — San Francisco, CA

In southeast San Francisco there is a neighborhood called Hunters Point. Historically, this area was home to African American families employed at the Hunters Point naval shipyard during and after World War II. In the mid 1970s the naval yard closed, leaving the neighborhood largely unemployed. The abandoned property was so badly polluted that it had two separate Superfund sites within it. By the 1980s, in spite of the community being one of the most diverse in the Bay Area, it had become known for its debilitating poverty, unemployment, drugs, and crime. The Hunters Point community was in bad shape. Kids in the neighborhood needed something to do. Skateboarding was hot and so were skateparks, so the city created the area’s first public skatepark. The Dish may not have been very practical (by modern skateboarding standards) but there was simply nothing else like it—anywhere. For Bay Area skateboarders, the Hunters Point neighborhood was a destination. The Dish served skaters from all over the region for nearly 40 years. Its antiquated design no longer satisfied skateboarders’ needs but the skatepark was respected for its historical significance and was still fun to skate. In 2016 the skatepark was renovated and expanded with support from the Tony Hawk Foundation. The new skatepark is larger, features updated architectural elements, and renews the neighborhood’s unique history with skateboarding. The skatepark and adjacent refurbishments are widely seen as vital improvements in a community that continues to struggle with social issues and the stigmas that they bring, but the new skatepark plays a key role in bringing people from all over the region together with a common interest—to have fun together. Today, millions of skaters have visited the neighborhood to skate at The Dish (and its renovated offspring), thanks to all the local partners who made it happen, and to Tony Hawk Foundation Supporters like you. Quick Facts Originally built: 1979 Rededicated: December 3, 2016 THF Grant: 2014 Local Support: San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, Trust for Public Land, Parks 94124 Design: Grindline Skateparks Size: 10,000 square feet

T
The Skatepark Project posted an impact story
about 6 years ago — Providence, RI

The Trinity Skate Spot in Providence, Rhode Island is located in the heart of downtown at a previously underutilized open space. When Providence skateboarders proposed that the space be repurposed with skate elements to create a healthy gathering place for local youth, the city agreed. Since it opened in Spring 2018, it has garnered so much positive attention that there are already plans to expand the facility as well as produce three more skate spots in the area. Providence skatepark advocates have effectively leveraged THF’s investment and involvement into a city-wide system of skateparks.

T
The Skatepark Project posted an impact story
almost 6 years ago — Gallup, NM

Advocates in Gallup began working with THF in 2016 to review their skatepark plans and ensure they were aligned with best practices and applied for a grant a few months later. Their proposal revealed a terrific project, demonstrating significant community engagement with local skateboarders contributing over $15,000 to the cause. Their efforts highlighted to us, and the general Gallup population, just how vital this project was to local youth. THF was proud to support the Gallup Skatepark project with a construction grant in 2016 and continued to work with the community until the skatepark opened in 2018. “The Tony Hawk Foundation was outstanding, assisting in the design of our state-of-the-art skateboard park in addition to giving the city a financial grant!” —Maryann Ustick, Gallup City Manager

Causes We Support

Countries We Serve

Do you work for this organization?

Join as an official member!

What Can You Do to Help?

Fundraising for an organization will help them help the world.

Get Started