SKATE NEWS

Wow, what a milestone. Since 2002, the Tony Hawk Foundation has helped low-income communities open free public skateparks, and the opening of Wasatch County’s skatepark in Heber City, Utah on July 28, 2008, marked the 300th public skatepark to receive financial assistance from the THF. For more information on this incredible park and even more incredibler achievement, keep reading for the full press release…

300th Tony Hawk Foundation Skatepark Opens

Public skatepark nonprofit organization hits milestone.

9/25/08 (Vista, CA) – The opening of the Wasatch County Skatepark in Heber City, Utah on July 28, 2008, marked the 300th public skatepark to open that received financial assistance from the Tony Hawk Foundation. Since 2002, the Foundation has been helping low-income communities develop free public skateparks, and to-date has awarded almost 400 grants to help pay for their construction, including the $5,000 grant to Wasatch County in 2007.

The Wasatch County Skatepark is a 20,000-square-foot free public park, and features a broad range of terrain types for skaters of all styles to ride, challenge themselves, and enjoy the benefits that skateboarding offers. From providing a safe place to skate, away from traffic and other dangers, to promoting a healthy, active lifestyle, the Wasatch County Skatepark is a haven for skaters in northern Utah as well as those who travel to the area to visit the acclaimed facility.

Through grants and technical assistance, the Tony Hawk Foundation helps communities across the U.S. build free, quality, public skateparks in low-income areas to give at-risk youth access to safe, sanctioned places to skate. With over 13-million skateboarders in the U.S. and only about 2,500 skateparks nationwide, most skateboarders are forced to skate in the streets, in parking lots, and other locations where they’re often not welcome. Public skateparks provide not only a safe place for them to pursue their passion for this healthy, athletic, and creative activity, but also helps them build a sense of community.

The next deadline to submit Tony Hawk Foundation Grant Applications is October 1, 2008. Applications are currently available online at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org.

The Tony Hawk Foundation will host its Activision Presents Stand Up For Skateparks benefit in Beverly Hills, California on November 9, 2008. For more information, visit the event Web site at www.standupforskateparks.org, or contact C.C. Flashman at cc@tonyhawkfoundation.org or 760-477-2479.

A charitable, non-profit organization, the Tony Hawk Foundation was established in 2002 by its namesake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, to promote and provide funds for high-quality public skateparks throughout the United States—with an emphasis on the word “quality.” Since then, the Foundation has awarded $2,400,000 to 391 communities. The Foundation focuses on working with local officials and grassroots, community-based organizations that plan to hire designers and contractors with strong experience designing and building skateparks.

The Tony Hawk Foundation was established by a gift from Tony Hawk. Its directors raise additional funds through events, industry donations, and continuing contributions from Tony and other entities. In addition to skateparks, the Foundation also makes donations to other children-related charities, as chosen by its Board Of Directors. For more information or to make a donation, visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org.