Proposed Brooklyn skate park partially backed by Tony Hawk divides community, politicians: ‘Shocking’
Plans for a skate park in Brooklyn are shredding one community apart.
Residents who frequent Mount Prospect Park are frustrated by a proposal to put a massive skate facility in the picturesque green space – telling the Post that the so-called “skate garden,” which is partly backed by skate legend Tony Hawk, would “amputate” the outdoor hub.
“It is our green space and it is well loved and it is well used. It is rare…and we don’t want any of it paved,” said Hayley Gorenberg, who, along with Ben Lowe, co-chairs of Friends of Mount Prospect Park, which is leading opposition to the plan.
The so-called Brooklyn Skate Garden, which was announced by Mayor Eric Adams on Jan. 24, will be funded by the city in collaboration with Hawks’ The Skatepark Project as part of a $11 million program to put skate parks around the five boroughs.
Adams said he hopes the parks can become skater magnets that are capable of holding world-class competitions.
But Gorenberg and Lowe said were frustrated that their local representative, District 35 Councilmember Crystal Hudson, has backed the ambitious skate park without consulting the community.
“This plan has been in place for years, but we only just heard about it….when they released a press release a couple weeks ago,” Lowe explained.
“When Crystal Hudson ran for office, she went out of her way to talk about how she would involve the community in decision-making. So it has been shocking to discover that she has kept this under wraps and kept it away from her constituents.”
Hudson told The Post in a statement that the BSG would reinvigorate the “underutilized” park.
“It will bring a much-needed revitalization of the park that will keep a majority of the existing open space completely untouched and available for use––even during construction,” she said.
The Friends of Mount Prospect Park has been trying to set up a meeting with Hudson for weeks, but have not nailed down a date, Lowe and Gorenberg said.
The group already voiced their frustrations in a Feb. 5 letter, which included a proposal to move the BSG to the Grand Army Plaza, which is already mostly paved.
They also complained that general plans for the skate park were approved by voters in council District 39, while the park is in District 35. Hudson admitted this was true, saying that $300,000 was set aside by voters there, but the Parks Department eventually decided Mount Prospect Park was the best location and she agreed.
“District 35 residents will have numerous opportunities to provide substantial input on the project and voice their opinions over the coming months,” she added.
Some residents think that the 340,000-square-foot Mount Prospect Park is too small for the 40,000-square-foot facility.
“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve been coming to this park since I was a kid. This is nature. It’s what we need – more greenery, more trees,” resident William Wilson, 55, told The Post Thursday.
“What Brooklyn needs is more green spaces, not more pavement,” Trevor Allen, 40, agreed.
“Grass in trees are our most precious commodity. Every square foot is precious to us. That’s why I chose to live here – to be close to nature. And now they’re going to amputate.”
Others, however, were more open to the idea of the skate garden.
“I’m in favor of it. The park is underinvested. There’s no grass…If somebody is willing to put a bunch of money into the park to make it into a community space, then I’m all for it,” attorney Ben Kabak, who walks his dog in the park daily, told The Post on Monday.
“It’s great for the youth. I think it’s a great idea,” art director and former skater Rob Jenkins chimed in.
Although Hawks’ foundation will be putting up funds, the main driving force behind the skate park is the Pablo Ramirez Foundation, which was created in memory of a young Brooklyn artist who was killed in a skateboarding accident in 2019.
“It’s not going to be a commercial skateboard arena, but will continue to be a free to use public green space and park,” Ramirez’s mother, Loren Michelle, said.
“Skateboarding is just one part of the vision. Space for public art and culture programming will be made available, and we intend for it to be a place where our youth can grow and learn. A place where families can know their kids are in a safe environment,” Michelle continued.
Detractors, however, remained unconvinced.
“I don’t have anything against skate parks, but why does it have to be here?” resident Susan Meekans told The Post, noting that people in apartment building were “going bananas” against the idea.
Tony Hawk’s The Skatepark Project could not immediately be reached for comment.
