Roanoke is formally opening a new skatepark and pump track at the city's Wasena Park.
Alek Patton was 16 years old when he started advocating for Roanoke to build a better skatepark than the aging version that sat for years under the Wasena Bridge. Patton worked with a local nonprofit, the Roanoke Skatepark Initiative, which was formed in 2015 to advocate and fundraise for the project.
"It's been a lot of ups and downs, going back and forth with the city, just trying to get them on the same page as us," Patton says. "We packed out city council, and they really realized we were trying to make our voice heard, and we wanted something to be done about the skatepark situation, and now we're here."
Eleven years later, Patton is looking out at the city's new, nearly 24,000-square foot skatepark.
"From what we as a community came up with things, what we wanted, this is absolutely perfect," Patton says.
The park was funded from a number of sources: $1.07 million from the City of Roanoke, $200,000 from the City of Salem, $50,000 from the Town of Vinton and $280,000 from private donors. Roanoke Outside worked with local donors to raise funds for building the pump track.
The skatepark and pump track are receiving positive feedback from regional skaters, bike riders and parents.
"It's a lot more than what we had."
"I think you've got a little bit of everything. Smaller area over here to get warmed up, for beginners and old guys like me. It's a good spread. It's laid out where you can just bump from one to the other without having to stop and reposition."
"My eye is drawn to the things I probably could have done as a kid, but now as a 41 year od I might give that a miss. The kicker over the fire hydrant is horrifying. I'm more of the manipad and the just-below-knee-high ledges, they're more my speed."
"Like, you can come out on a chill day and just mess you know what I'm saying, with certain things that ain't really too, that don't really take a lot, or you can come out if you want to get tough, know what I'm saying?
"We will absolutely be back."
Roanoke will hold a ribbon-cutting on Friday to formally open the skatepark and pump track.
