‘Maplewood Needs An Indoor Skate Park’; Local Starts Fundraiser

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The challenge? Find Essex County's skateboarders, bikers, scooter riders and roller bladers a place to ride during the harsh winter months.

Mike Kirk's solution? An indoor skate park in Maplewood.

According to Kirk, another indoor skate park is needed more than ever in New Jersey because in the last six years, many indoor parks throughout the state have gone out of business. That’s why the skateboarding fanatic – who can frequently be spotted on the Essex County skating scene and helps out with local youth programs – has launched the “Indoor Skate Park in Maplewood, NJ” campaign on GoFundMe. (See the online fundraising campaign here)

The campaign aims to raise enough money to build an indoor skate park that would be open seven days a week, provide group lessons and open skate sessions, and host various events such as art shows, bike/scooter days and birthday parties.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Maplewood Facebook page here.

Kirk writes:

“Recently, Maplewood Mayor, Victor DeLuca, had pointed me to a warehouse space with the same square foot size (5,000 square feet) of the former indoor Bayonne Skatepark. I love Maplewood and have become a staple to the local skateboarding scene as well as helping out with the before school care program (K-2nd grade) as well. My good friend John Lewinski, whom I have known for over 10 years, has stepped up in a major way and is willing to help in this much needed demand. John has successfully ran his own clothing company for over five years and has hosted many skateboard competitions, ran a skate shop and is looked up to and respected by all of his peers.”

Kirk adds:

“The building has plenty of demolition work to get done after we get an engineer to take a look at the structure as two cinderblock walls have to come down which will cost a lot alone. The bathroom has a urinal in which is out of order and needs to come out. The structure has heat for the winter and air conditioning for the summer. We have connections to ramps from Rex Plex a skatepark in Elizabeth which closed down 10 years ago due to lack of direction, overextending its available activities and are on Craigslist for free as well as ramps from a skatepark in Toms River in which closed down due to its desolate location.”

Kirk concluded:

“We are fully committed to the completion of this project… It will cost $7,200 to get in the door with a two-month grace period to create the skatepark and $3,600 each month thereafter."

• See related article: West Orange Skate Park Nearing Completion (PHOTO)

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: GoFundMe