Brooklyn Community Board 8 on Thursday approved the construction of the Brooklyn Skate Garden at Mount Prospect Park, pushing forward the $11 million project that stirred many opponents to rally against the project for two years.
The development, one of four skate parks to be built across New York City, is led by The Skatepark Project, a nonprofit founded by Tony Hawk. Originally planned to span about 40,000-square-feet, the skate park will now total 19,500-square-feet, and is expected to take about a year to complete.
The Parks Department said it will plant 19 new trees, as well as additional shurbs and plants. The project will also add a green infrastructure system to manage on-site drainage, security lighting, upgraded pavement and circulation pathways, as well as new benches, drinking fountains, and waste receptacles.
“This is a defining moment for the Brooklyn Skate Garden at Mount Prospect Park and the New York City skateboarding community,” said Loren Michelle, executive director of Brooklyn Skate Garden and The Pablo Ramirez Foundation, who started the project in 2020. “I couldn’t be prouder that all wheeled riders will finally have a world-class Skate Garden to call home that is safe and environmentally responsible.”
Friends of Mount Prospect Park, a nonprofit group, had rallied in opposition of the project as it would take away greenspace and instead create a heat island because the skate park would be made out of concrete.
The skate garden, nestled in between Grand Army Plaza and the Brooklyn Museum, will be designed for all wheeled sports, including BMX biking, roller skating and inline skating amongst others.
“The Brooklyn Skate Garden will be an action sports hub, combining state-of-the-art skatepark design with environmentally friendly infrastructure," said Benjamin Anderson Bashein, chief executive officer of The Skatepark Project. "The approved plan will have a great impact on the community and improve the existing park.”
