STOP, DROP, AND ROLL – October 24, 2021

STOP, DROP, AND ROLL – October 24, 2021

October 24, 2021 – 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Roc City Skatepark

Drop off non-perishable food items to help support community members in need and join the Friends and some special guests there to meet with the public, and host some games, raffles, and giveaways. This is a community-orientated event. All skill levels and non-motorized wheels welcome. Come to contribute, to watch, or to join in the fun.

Non-perishable food items collected will help support the work of the all volunteer Rochester Food Not Bombs.

This event is presented in partnership with the City of Rochester Department of Recreation and Human Services and made possible through the generous support of the City of Rochester and our event sponsors:

City of Rochester – https://www.cityofrochester.gov
Black Bird Design – http://www.rochesterblackbirddesign.com
Bruised Brigade – http://bruisedbrigade.com
Coal – https://coalheadwear.com
Emerson & Oliver – https://www.emersonandoliver.com
Etnies – https://etnies.com
Juice magazine – https://juicemagazine.com
Krudco. – https://www.krudco.com
Lophase coffee – https://www.instagram.com/lophasecoffee/
Stodie – https://www.instagram.com/stodie_skateboards
Pasttime – http://pastimeskateshop.com
Old Skull – https://www.oldskullskateboards.com
Neon Wave – https://thisisneonwave.com

You can learn about parking for the skatepark here: https://roccitypark.org/wp/where-to-park/

New map of skateparks in Western and Central NY!

Summer’s in full swing, and the park’s now open 7am – 10pm daily! But sometimes we still get the urge to explore, so we’ve compiled a list of municipal parks and pay-to-ride parks in Western and Central New York! The direct link to the map page is below, as well as a preview! You can always find the page under our RESOURCES drop down menu!

If you know of a park that we missed, please contact us and let us know and we’ll add it! Just email us at: roccitypark@gmail.com

Parks in Western and Central NY State

The Skatepark is closed May 24-28 for concrete sealing . . . but you’ve got options!

skatepark is closed May 23-28 for concrete sealing


The skatepark will be closed May 24th-28th, 2021 for long overdue concrete sealing (the weather got too bad in November, so it got deferred until now!) We are sorry for the inconvenience.

We do ask that everyone respect the process and please stay off the park so that the sealer can set properly and the the park can stay awesome longer for everyone! Please spread the word!

While the Roc City Skatepark is closed next week for some preventative maintenance, why not check out some other skateparks in the region?

Here is a list of some of the free public skateparks in the area:

WEBSTER
985 Ebner Drive
Webster, NY 14580

JEFFERSON SKATEPARK
Jefferson Avenue
Canandaigua, NY 14424

PARMA SKATEPARK
1300 Parma Corners Rd.
Hilton, NY 14468

BROCKPORT SKATEPARK
4783 Redman Road
Brockport, NY 14420

LA SALLE BUFFALO SKATE PLAZA
D A R Drive
Buffalo, NY 14202

TONAWANDA SKATEPARK
Elgin Street
Tonawanda, NY 14150

NF Skatepark
Niagara Falls
Hyde Park Blvd.
Niagara Falls, NY 14304

SENECA FALLS SKATEPARK
35 Water Street
Seneca Falls, NY 13148
(for Seneca Falls residents only)

CASEY SKATEPARK
150 N. Division Street
Auburn, NY 13021

EAST WOODS SKATEPARK
Huntington Park
300 Block Caleb Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13206

WATKINS GLEN SKATEPARK
Warren W Clute Memorial Park

EAST SHORE SKATEPARK
2073 E. Shore Drive
Lansing, NY 14882

ITHACA SKATEPARK
Meadow Street & Wood Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

VAN BUREN SKATEPARK
184 South 2nd Street
Fulton, NY 13069

ONONDAGA LAKE SKATEPARK 
106 Lake Drive
Liverpool, NY 13088
(315) 453-6712

There are at least two regional pay-to-skate skateparks definitley worth the drive:

Rochester is also home to a truly awesome indoor skatepark (New York’s largest). They'll unfortunately also be closed the week of May 24-28, but DEFINITELY check them out, especially if it's rainy/snowy!

BREAKING FREE INDOOR SKATEPARK
1044 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607
(585) 271-7277
http://www.breakingfreeskatepark.com
 
BLACK MAMBA INDOOR SKATEPARK 
ShoppingTown Mall
3649 Erie Blvd. East
Syracuse, NY 13214
(315) 422-9500
https://www.blackmambaskatepark.com

HUGE shout out to Old Skull Skateboards for compiling this list!
https://www.oldskullskateboards.com/skateparks/

After the Groundbreaking - Photo by Corey Vance

WE BROKE GROUND!

After 11 years and eight months of work, the Friends of the Roc City Skatepark is proud to write that on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, the City of Rochester broke ground on the Roc City Skatepark.

Here’s a few pics from the event by Heliosun Photography, and a number of articles about the groundbreaking and the park! We’ve also included the speeches from our President, James Maddison, and our Executive Director, Alan Presutti.

ARTICLES ABOUT THE GROUNDBREAKING.

https://13wham.com/news/local/work-underway-on-roc-city-skate-park-downtown

https://www.wdkx.com/groundbreaking-on-rochesters-first-ever-community-skatepark

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/community/2019/10/09/officials-break-ground-on-rochester-s-first-skate-park

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/roc-city-skate-park-to-break-ground-wednesday/


SPEECHES FROM THE GROUNDBREAKING

FRIENDS President James Maddison delivers his speech.
FRIENDS President James Maddison delivers his speech with his children by his side.

BOARD PRESIDENT JAMES MADDISON’S SPEECH

Perseverance is one aspect of what I believe is the single most important quality of leadership.

Credibility.

I am often asked why I have dedicated so much time and effort to this project during the past 12 years

My reason is very simple.

I promised my children I would build a skatepark. I can’t think of a better or more important reason than my promise, and I never qualified the promise with “unless there are challenges to work through and obstacles to overcome.” This credibility carries over to other parts of my children’s lives, and they trust me. This trust helps them to feel secure.

Every single child in Rochester deserves to be treated in this manner, to trust grown ups, and to feel secure. There can be no broken promises, even if the promise has challenges to work through and obstacles to overcome.

Sadly, one of the children who trusted us to build a skatepark where he could feel secure is no longer with us. Akeer Matthews died after being hit by a car on his skateboard. He died on this exact day – October 9, 2010.

Akeer’s mother Sheila is here with us today. Sheila, please let Akeer know we did keep the promise we made to him and that you, his spirit, and his memory have helped us work through many challenges and overcome many obstacles.

The Roc City Skatepark will have a lot of meaning and represent different things to different people.

I will forever see the skatepark as a representation of a credible volunteer working board dedicating countless hours of their own time to the mission of improving the health and wellbeing of our community;

I will forever see a representation of credibility among our business leaders and sponsors who are providing the resources to make the vision of a skatepark a reality, including Justin Barnes, Xerox Corporation, Nelson Leenhouts, Sutherland Global, Sage Rutty, RG & E, Ralph C. Wilson and Tony Hawk Foundations, and the Sands Family who provided our nonprofit unrestricted start-up funds and are matching every dollar we raise up to $110,000 that will be restricted to construction and additions to the park;

And finally, I will always see a representation of credible city leaders who, despite having to work through challenges and overcome obstacles, are building a skatepark because they promised the children of Rochester that they would build a skatepark, and there is no better or more important reason to build a skatepark.

Thank you, Mayor Warren, Commissioner Dr. Dr. Daniele Lyman-Torres, City Council, and the leadership of the City of Rochester.


FRIENDS Executive Director Alan Presutti delivers his speech.
FRIENDS Executive Director Alan Presutti delivers his speech.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALAN PRESUTTI’S SPEECH

I would like to start by saying that The Friends of the Roc City Skatepark would like to thank Mayor Warren for having the courage to push this project forward and believing in its virtues ever since her days as president of City Council.

To all the members of the Roc The Riverway council for voting to provide us with the necessary funding to get us across the threshold, especially Shawn Dunwoody who has been supporting us since our first fundraiser at his gallery 11 years ago.

To Mitch Gruber and all the members of city council, Commissioner Lyman torres, Jim Farr John Piccone and Kristina Heiligenthaler from the department of Recreation and youth.

And The Tony Hawk Foundation for their guidance, support, and financial generosity.

We would also like to thank All the citizens/donors of Rochester that have believed in and supported this project even when it seemed impossible.

Today we stand here to witness the next step in the culmination of hard work, perseverance and a partnership between city government and a dedicated group of citizens. This skatepark, when completed will be a piece of the puzzle that represents the new future for Rochester, NY. A Rochester that is turning a new leaf by embracing its community and pursuing fresh new ideas while looking to the future and making choices that will continue make this city grow to be a better place for people across all social and economic backgrounds.

This Skatepark will also show the youth and families that currently live here that they will be included in the new Downtown experience.

The Friends of the Roc City Skatepark have worked hard by partnering with DRYS, The City school district, and the local business community to participate in a variety events, all to show that these once frowned-upon activities such as skateboarding, BMX, scootering, and rollerblading can be used as a great way build up communities when they are given properly-built and sanctioned locations.
We hope, when this park is completed, that it will be the tipping point for Rochester and its surrounding towns to embrace the concept of using properly-designed and constructed skateparks, and the participants of what we call progression-oriented sports in order to enhance the lives of their citizens and businesses.

We look forward to continuing to work with our government officials and ALL of our fellow Rochestarians to help make this city grow and be a better place for EVERYONE.

Thank you.


PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

Photos by Heliosun Photography unless otherwise noted.

Roc The Riverway and Rochester city skatepark groundbreaking
Roc The Riverway and Rochester city skatepark groundbreaking
Demo warmup before the event
Demo warmup before the event – Photo by Corey Vance
The crowd gearing up before the groundbreaking. Photo by Corey Vance.
The crowd gearing up before the groundbreaking. Photo by Corey Vance.
Roc The Riverway and Rochester city skatepark groundbreaking
Roc The Riverway and Rochester city skatepark groundbreaking
Roc The Riverway and Rochester city skatepark groundbreaking
Roc The Riverway and Rochester city skatepark groundbreaking
We did it for the Youth!
Mayor Lovely Warren delivering her speech.
Mayor Lovely Warren delivering her speech.
Commissioner Daniele J. Lyman-Torres  and  supporters are stoked!
Commissioner Dr. Daniele Lyman-Torres and supporters are stoked!
Trevor Staples from the Tony Hawk Foundation
Trevor Staples from the Tony Hawk Foundation
Representative from RGE speaking at the groundbreaking
Representative from RGE speaking at the groundbreaking.
City Council Member Mitch Gruber delivers comments.
City Council Member Mitch Gruber delivers comments.
Gearing up for breaking ground! Photo by Corey Vance.
Gearing up for breaking ground! Photo by Corey Vance.
Breaking Ground!
Breaking Ground!
Breaking Ground!
Breaking Ground!
Jim, Alan, and Mayor Warren  with Akeer's mom
Jim, Alan, and Mayor Warren with Akeer’s Mother