Friarsgate Skatepark broke ground yesterday with Mayor Berry Walker, Irmo Town Council, and the Irmo Skatepark Committee. The skatepark will be a part of a larger project that includes a dog park, a community garden, a playground, new parking, and more located at 1113 Friarsgate Blvd.
The concrete skatepark will take up ~9,000 sqft of the 9-acre park and will have multiple obstacles made of poured concrete + metal coping. The design will accommodate skateboarders, scooterists, roller skaters, and BMXers. It will cost roughly $250,000+ , will be funded mostly by a mosh-posh of local grants, and set to be complete by summer 2022.
The first renderings of the park | Photo provided
If you can’t wait that long to shred and don’t mind a short car ride — 78 miles —, the Irmo Skatepark Committee has been working with designers from 5th Pocket Skateparks who just recently built a new skatepark in Florence, SC at McLeod Park .
The project manager and creator of the Irmo Skatepark Committee, Robert Cartin, decided to build a skatepark for his community after having to drive 45+ min. to skate with his son. He listened to a podcast series, “The Skateboard Project ” where Tony Hawk outlines 10 steps to take to get a skatepark built in your hometown.
The first renderings of the park | Photo provided
Robert asked for a meeting with Mayor Walker, and said if Robert could prove there was interest, he would consider it. In Dec. 2020, Robert called upon community members like local skate shops , members of Irmo City Council , local builders, parents , and skaters for support. He gathered 100+ people on a zoom call during the pandemic with the City Council that voted in favor 4-1 of the park.
Thus, the idea of how Friarsgate Skatepark was born and volunteer opportunities will be available as plans develop.