moving mountains
manchester’s
new skatepark
takes shape
With initial phases of the Manchester Skatepark
Project now complete, it is ready to welcome
both new and seasoned skateboarders to
Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park.
STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL RUBY STUDIOS
As skateboarders can tell you, the exhilarating rush of the air on your
face and the smooth glide of wheels on the concrete can be unlike
anything else experienced. It’s both liberating and a wonderful way to
focus through an athletically engaging discipline. Pursuit of bettering
your abilities and the sense of community that exists in a skatepark
can lead to a feeling of purpose.
As Alec Beck of the Tony Hawk Foundation puts it, “Skateboarding
is a chance for kids to learn for themselves about the power that they
really have.”
In the same way that skateboarding can help build social connections,
confidence, and self-esteem, the construction of Manchester’s
new skatepark has brought the people of Manchester together
across generational and cultural lines, uniting the town’s citizens,
government, and local businesses in pursuit of a common goal.
Thanks to generous contributions, community fundraising, and the
persistent action of the Manchester Skatepark Committee, Phases 1
and 1.5 of theManchester Skatepark Project are now complete.
manchester life magazine 2020 49