Celebrate International Go Skateboarding Day with the Tony Hawk Foundation

DETROIT — Bring out your kids, or the inner kid in you, and celebrate International Go Skateboarding Day!

Starting this Friday, June 21, The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the Tony Hawk Foundation will have a weekend filled with skate park events and activities. The fun weekend is hosted by their Built to Play skate park grantees and partners throughout southeast Michigan.

Since 2008, more than seven skate parks projects in the region has received matching grants of up to $250,000 through the Built to Play initiative, which was created to develop free public skate parks in low income communities.

“The Built to Play skate park grants offer a great opportunity for communities looking to provide recreational alternatives for their youth. Skate parks are a safe place for all ages to exercise, socialize, and pursue a healthy lifestyle,” says Trevor Staples, Built to Play Skate park Manager with the Tony Hawk Foundation. “The funding from RCWJRF greatly shortens the time it takes to develop a public skate park, while the experience of THF ensures that these public skate parks will be of the highest quality and serve the communities for decades to come.”

THF has opened several skate parks in the Michigan region and they plan to open the next round of Built to Play skate park grants in fall of 2019.

“If we want our children to be more active in our communities, they need more safe and accessible places to play," says Jim Boyle, vice president of programs & communications, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. "Skateparks are a great solution and they’re what kids are asking for in our region.”

The public is invited to attend the following events and activities:
Friday, June 21^st

• Ypsilanti Township Skate park Groundbreaking Ceremony (10am, Community Center Park at the corner of E. Clark Rd. and Midway)

• Chandler Park Skate Jam & Fundraiser Kickoff (5-8pm, 12600 Chandler Park Dr., Detroit, MI 48215)

Saturday, June 22^nd

• Ferndale’s Geary Park Cleanup with Skate Park Respect (8-10am, 1198 Earle Blvd., Ferndale, MI 48220)

• Detroit’s Riverside Park Skate park Grand Opening (10am-12:30pm, 3621 W. Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48216)

Sunday, June 23^rd

• Ann Arbor Skatepark’s 5-year Anniversary Celebration (11am-4pm, 350 N. Maple Rd., Ann Arbor, Michigan)