Lakeview, OR. — Official Release: One day, a modest idea rolled into Lakeview: What if we built a skatepark?
Two years later, the southern Oregon town — population 2,400 — is turning that vision into reality. This week, excavating equipment arrived on site to begin digging out an old tennis court and shaping the bowl for what will become a world-class skatepark in the heart of the community.
“They’re in there working, digging holes and putting pipes in and everything,” said Rotarian Chuck Kelley. “I’m super pleased. Things are going right along.”
It all started when Kelley noticed many kids were missing out on traditional sports like football and basketball — whether because they couldn’t afford the gear, didn’t speak English or didn’t feel like they belonged.
“Those sports don’t catch everybody,” said fellow Rotarian Michael McGowen. “The fear is that the way kids go instead is to the easily available and inexpensive drugs.”
A park geared toward the relatively low-barrier activity of skateboarding seemed like a solution. Rotarians donated $1,500 to get the project started, and a community survey showed strong support.
Small Town, Big Dream
Building a skatepark legally is an enormous undertaking. Community members often fear that a skatepark will attract crime, but research shows that parks in visible places tend to become community assets. Lakeview organizers studied the ins and outs of design, safety and liability with support from The Skatepark Project.
The nonprofit was founded by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk — a kid who didn’t fit into traditional sports and turned to skateboarding after struggling in baseball. Hawk became the first skateboarder to land a 900, a trick that involves revolving two and a half times mid-air. He later retired from professional competition and established his foundation to help build skateparks in low-income areas.
Following the Rotarians’ research, the Lakeview Town Council endorsed the project and leased the public land for the skatepark site to organizers for $1 a year. Councilors didn’t want just any skatepark — they wanted one that could attract competitions and visitors to Lakeview, filling its hotel beds, campsites and restaurants.
“We put out an RFP to six of the best skatepark design firms in the United States,” McGowen said.
Oregon’s own Dreamland Skateparks submitted the winning bid. The Lincoln City firm designed a 13,000-square-foot park suitable for skateboarders, scooter riders, BMX bikers, rollerbladers and wheelchair users. The design includes a deep, kidney-shaped bowl, a chute and a series of mounds, allowing for both park and street styles — the two disciplines that debuted during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. In park style, competitors ride in a bowl to build speed for aerial moves; in street style, they maneuver over obstacles.
‘We’ll Find a Way’
Despite being located in one of Oregon’s poorest counties, the community has raised more than $500,000 of the $600,000 budget. Organizers cobbled together the funding from in-kind donations, philanthropic support and Rotary Club fundraisers. Kelley is even loaning the construction crew a house he owns in town for the duration of the project.
“Lakeview is at the edge of the world,” McGowen said. “We don’t have much in this town, but one thing we do have is town spirit. We’re so remote that we have to do for ourselves.”
Oregon Community Foundation stepped in early with a $10,000 grant and contributed another $50,000 in 2024. OCF President and CEO Lisa Mensah shared Lakeview’s story at the foundation’s recent annual meeting before an audience of more than 700.
“Asking ‘What if’ can show a community of kids that they’re worth fighting for,” Mensah told the crowd at the Portland Art Museum and those watching across the state on Zoom. “I wonder, what if we all believed in our kids like Lakeview believes in theirs? That takes nerve. That takes backbone. And that’s ‘What if’ at work in Oregon.”
Organizers are already working on ways to give away bikes, skateboards and helmets to kids in need through sponsorships from manufacturers and retailers. They hope to bring in a professional skateboarder to offer a free clinic and teach kids the basics of riding.
“If you worry too much in life, you miss out on opportunities,” McGowen said. “We’ll find a way.”
And it will all happen right in the middle of town — where every child will finally be seen.
– Credit Paige Parker
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