Carpinterians Rally for Skate Park Funding

More than 150 community members gathered Monday afternoon to generate support for the future Carpinteria Skate Park, skating, rollerblading, scootering, and walking down Carpinteria Avenue to the park’s future site.

The event, held on National Skate Day and hosted by the Carpinteria Skate Foundation, began at 2 p.m. and celebrated the project, which has reached approximately $890,000 of its $1.2 million fundraising goal necessary to break ground. 

“It’s been this long, arduous process of our community supporting us,” Foundation board member Julia Mayer explained of the endeavor, which has been nearly 20 years in the making. 

“In the last six to eight months, we’ve gotten a lot more grassroots donations, so we’re about 80 percent funded,” she said. After raising the remaining 20 percent, the group hopes to begin construction by September.

Monday’s event urged the community to support the last push for the park, which will be located adjacent to Carpinteria City Hall. Police walked with the group to show their support and keep riders safe during the event.

Large donors can “purchase” elements of the park, like a ramp, and smaller donors can “buy” a brick. Find all the giving options here. 

The park, which is designed by Dreamland Skateparks, will include a wide variety of elements for both beginners and advanced riders. It will also include a stage, picnic tables, and other public amenities, creating an “ideal meeting place for community events, competitions, and concerts,” the Foundation said. 

Mayer said that in the past, negative misconceptions about skateboarding hindered the project, but during COVID-19, the need for safe, equitable spaces for all ages became apparent. 

“Equity is so important,” Mayer said, discussing the generations of Carpinteria kids who haven’t had access to facilities to skateboard in a safe, legal environment.

To Mayer, however, Monday’s event was about more than just skateboarding — she was amazed by the power of her local community. 

“We had city council members who don’t skateboard show up,” she said. “We had moms pushing [strollers] and dads and big kids and little kids. It just felt like such a good thing coming together.” 

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