Organizers are currently raising funds to bring a much-needed concrete skatepark to the city of Evansville (and the Tri-state!) and they are planning a fundraiser soon to help get the park off the ground.

Aside from the Go Fund Me, which you can read more about below, there is a fundraising event planned in Henderson, Kentucky's Atkinson Park on Saturday May 1st. From 11am to 4pm that day, there will be games, food and more. Proceeds from the sale of food and drinks at the event will go toward helping bring the Sunset Skatepark to fruition.

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You may be asking yourself why Evansville needs a skatepark and that's a really valid question. The truth is that skateboarding and BMX freestyle biking are actually pretty popular with the youth in our community - not just in Evansville but in the entire Southwestern Indiana and Western Kentucky regions. There isn't really anywhere locally that is a dedicated space for those that enjoy those activities. It leaves a lot of enthusiasts skateboarding and biking in places they really shouldn't be - like parking garages or public parks. According to fundraising organizers, the closest concrete skatepark to the Evansville area is almost 100 miles away in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Being that far away, it's of little benefit to those who enjoy spending time outdoors on their skateboards or bikes.

The project will benefit underserved Evansville area youth and young adult skaters (experienced and aspiring), especially those residing in Evansville’s federally-designated Promise Zone (PZ). Promise Zones are high poverty areas in which local and federal government partners work to leverage private investment to improve economic activity, public health, and educational opportunities, and to reduce violent crime.

The idea and plans for Sunset Skatepark have come to fruition over the last five years as over 400 skateboarders, skaters and BMX bikers spanning multiple generations have come together to brainstorm, fundraise and otherwise layout plans to bring this park into reality. As of right now, the space for the proposed skatepark is being used for a nearby project but once that's complete, Sunset Skatepark organizers hope to be able to start construction later in 2021. In the meantime, they are taking this opportunity to raise funds to help the project see the light of day and now is the time to make your donations!

We have a great team of grant writers and skatepark designers that have been working actively over the past 18 months to get this project off the ground!

Keep up to date and find out more info at www.skatesunset.com.

Currently, thanks to a matching grant, your donation to the Go Fund Me will be doubled. At the time of this writing they have raised almost $13,000 of the their $50,000 goal. If you donate $5, through the matching grant, the skatepark project will receive $10 total.. You can make your donation now through the official Go Fund Me set up and organized to benefit the Evansville Parks Foundation, Inc and since they are a registered 501 c3 non-profit, your donations are tax deductible. Learn more about Sunset Skatepark by visiting their official Facebook page and don't forget to make a donation through the Go Fund Me page!

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