Long-Awaited Tucson Skate Park Project Set To Break Ground Downtown

TUCSON, AZ — A skate park a decade in the making is about to break ground in downtown Tucson.

The community is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony June 30 at 6 p.m. for the Cushing Street Skate Park, set to be built beneath the freeway underpass at Cushing Street and Interstate 10.

The event takes place at the site, 700 W. Cushing St., and is hosted by Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz, Tucson Parks and Recreation and Caleb Gutierrez, founder of the Cushing Street Skate Park group.

The project follows years of grassroots advocacy and fundraising, culminating in a funding package totaling more than $2.6 million.

"Cushing Street Skate Park will be more than just a place to skate, it will be a symbol of community resilience, a celebration of our youth, and a testament to what's possible when investments are guided by grassroots advocates with the support of their Mayor," said Mayor Regina Romero, who credited advocates Caleb Gutierrez and Shannon Smith for a decade of work pushing the project forward.

The funding includes $1.5 million from City Framework and the City Investment Plan, $300,000 from a Tohono O'odham Nation grant, $250,000 each from the Mayor's Office and Ward 1's participatory budgeting process known as Budget De La Gente, $200,000 from Rio Nuevo, $100,000 from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and more than $40,000 in community donations.

"Cushing Street Skate Park is a testament to what happens when we invest in public spaces that are designed for and by the community," said Vice Mayor Santa Cruz. "I'm proud that Ward 1 played a role in making this happen through Budget De La Gente, and I look forward to seeing generations of Tucsonans carve, roll, and build community here."

Durazo Construction will lead the build, with a design team that includes Wheat | J2 Design Studio, Grindline Skateparks, Psomas and GLHN Architects & Engineers.

"Rio Nuevo is pleased to be a part of this skate park development, and turning a gravel bed under the freeway into a vibrant entertainment zone for area youth is a great cause," said Rio Nuevo Chairman Fletcher McCusker.

Parking for the groundbreaking is available at 332 S. Freeway or the MSA Annex. The closest Sun Link streetcar stops are Nos. 3 and 4.