GREATER DES MOINES, IOWA (July 27, 2018) –— The Lauridsen Skatepark has been awarded a Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant of $400,000, the Skatepark Cabinet announced today. The skatepark is planned to take shape along the Principal Riverwalk in Downtown Des Moines (DSM).
The Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant program provides funding for signature, community projects throughout the region. With this grant, the Cabinet has raised $3.2 million of its $3.5 million goal for the project. The grant will enable the skatepark to break ground this fall.
“We are thrilled to have received this grant from Prairie Meadows, which is a huge milestone for the skatepark project,” said Brad Anderson, AARP Iowa State Director and a Cabinet Co-Chair along with Christine Hensley, retired Des Moines City Council member, and Angela Connolly, a Polk County Supervisor. “This grant puts us one step closer to bringing one of the biggest and best skateparks in the country to this region.”
The 65,000 square-foot skatepark is set to be located adjacent to the Rotary Riverwalk Park between Second Avenue and the Des Moines River. It will be one of the largest skateparks in the country and could attract around 40,000 visits from skaters each year. Skateboarding will become an Olympic sport in 2020, and the Lauridsen Skatepark will have the capacity to host national competitions.
The Skatepark is named after Nix and Virginia Lauridsen, who have gifted $1 million to the project from the Lauridsen Family Foundation. In addition to the Lauridsen family’s donation, a number of donors have contributed to the skatepark’s viability. See the full list.
DSM residents and visitors who are supportive of the skatepark project can voice their support by adding their name to the skatepark’s website at DSMskatepark.com. Additionally, there is still an opportunity for individuals, businesses and organizations to donate to the skatepark project. Those interested should go to DSMskatepark.com or email Brad Anderson at darbsanderson@gmail.com.
About the Lauridsen Skatepark
The Lauridsen Skatepark is set to be one of the largest open parks in the nation. The skatepark will be centrally located at the north end of the Principal Riverwalk next to the Des Moines River.