Could a Skatepark Be Built in Needham?

NEEDHAM, MA—Needham’s skateboarders have long been without a designated location to practice their ollies and kick-flips, but one local group is trying to change that.

The Needham Skatepark Associates have started a petition to bring a skatepark to Needham, and the petition already has 244 signatures onboard. Ben Kerrigan—the group’s founder—told Patch that the sport once thought to be the face of American counterculture has started to become accepted into mainstream thought.

“The sport is really crossing into the mainstream,” Kerrigan said. “You see it in commercials and you see it in cartoons. Kids want to try this sport...Skateboarding is a great option for people to still stay active and practice a skill that will really help them in life.”

Needham’s skaters started a movement to bring a park to the town in the early 2000s, but progress was stonewalled due to a lack of funding according to Kerrigan.

The Needham Skateboard Associates are taking a different approach, attempting to fund the park through external sources as opposed to funding through taxpayer dollars.

Kerrigan mentioned that the group would apply for a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation, who issued a $10,000 grant for the installation of a skatepark at James Edgar Park in Brockton.

“There are a ton of awesome foundations,” Kerrigan said. “There are also a ton of businesses in the community who would like to get behind this, I truly believe that.”

The group has yet to reach out to city officials regarding their plans, but Kerrigan said that they are aiming to set up a meeting with city officials soon. If you wish to sign the group’s petition, you can do so here.

“Skateparks are more than just a sports facility,” Kerrigan wrote on the group’s petition.”Skateparks are a community space that enables people who aren’t involved in mainstream sports to practice their craft safely...be it skateboarding, biking, scootering or longboarding.”

Patch attempted to contact Park and Recreation Department Director Patricia Carey, but she was not immediately available for comment. Check back with Patch for comments from city officials.