Ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate Centennial Park skatepark renovations

A ribbon cutting ceremony will celebrate the recently revamped Centennial Park skatepark in Lawrence.

Following engagement with the Lawrence Skaters Association and others in the local skating community, the City of Lawrence executed the $250,000 renovations, according to a city news release. New features added to the popular skatepark include “a four stair, a rainbow rail, new ledges, a hip, a ‘slappy’ curb, a flow bowl and a ‘euro’ gap.”

They were paid for with the city’s capital improvement funding after community members advocated for updates and worked with Lawrence Parks and Recreation to plan, according to a post on the Lawrence Skaters Association’s Facebook page.

“The biggest thanks go to all of you for turning this collection of metal and concrete into an active, thriving and living environment,” the post says. “Skateparks are a sacred place for skaters, and we couldn’t be happier than to be hosting this ribbon cutting.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6 at Centennial Park skatepark, 600 Rockledge Road in Lawrence. It’s free to attend and open to the public.

Afterward, the Lawrence Skaters Association will host a “skate jam” and offer coffee and donuts. A contest for the best skate trick is set for 2 p.m.

Lawrence’s Centennial Park skatepark opened in 1998 and underwent construction in 2012. In May 2023, skaters celebrated a new vert ramp built there in honor of Corey Lawrence, who died in May 2021 after being injured while skateboarding.

Learn more about the park on the city’s website, lawrenceks.org/lprd/parks/centennialpark.

Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.

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