Lincoln’s forthcoming South Haymarket Skatepark continues to grind towards its $25 million fundraising goal, with the next crowdsourcing event set for this Sunday, May 25, at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
The project to build a new state-of-the-art skate facility near 7th and “N” Street received its first major contribution of $10,000 last fall, after the Lincoln Skatepark Association (LSA) decided to round up funds raised by local thrashers during a summer fundraiser concert. Since then, LSA President Phil Burcher tells KLIN News they’ve ramped up that total to about $15,000, and he’s hoping to double that number this weekend.
“All the different skaters — skateboarders, cyclists, scooters, inline skaters — are so excited about the project. It’s been a long time coming and there’s a lot of hype. It’s been exceptional working with the city, they’re really on board with this project,” said Burcher.
Memorial
The free event will run from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo event space, 1222 S. 27th Street, and feature raffle prizes, 30 vendor booths, food trucks, a cash bar, and entertainment. Skateboarding demonstrations will be hosted at 5 p.m. and a stunt performance by the NoWear BMX Freestyle Team at 5:35 p.m.
Pat Clinch (Courtesy: The Pat Clinch Peace Project)
The event’s live music will kick off with DJ Ol’ Moanin’ Corpse from 4-6 p.m. and end with local rock band Domestica at 7 p.m.
But a special memorial act, tied to the fundraising effort, will be featured in between.
Helming the fundraising effort this Sunday is the The Pat Clinch Peace Project: a local “flash” fundraising group focused on cultivating music, food and art in memory of Pat Clinch.
Clinch, a local arts connoisseur with a heart for community projects, passed away 10-years-ago after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Shortly before he passed on May 25, 2015, Clinch contributed his final basslines and vocals to his band Strawberry Burns.
On Sunday, the 10-year anniversary of Clinch’s death to the day, Strawberry Burns will reunite at 6 p.m. for a reunion performance.
“Pat was a great friend to all of us. He grew up as a skateboarder, and so we all knew him. He would have loved the idea of raising money for the skate park,” Burcher said, not closing the door on working with the fundraising group in the future.
Fundraising Status
Burcher says project coffers are currently sitting around $16 million. The $25 million figure is the cost to cover the entire park project, which will include amenities beyond the skatepark, including a splash pad, dog-run, trail system tie-in, and an accessible playground.
Funds for the project are being provided by a combination of public and private sources. The fundraising campaign is led by Lincoln Parks Foundation, in partnership with Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department and the City of Lincoln.
“We’ve got a ways to go,” Burcher said with optimism. “But the skatepark is our emphasis.”
If you visit the soon-to-be construction site on 7th and “N” Street, you’ll see crew equipment on the east side of the space. Burcher says the city is establishing the foundation for the park, and recently amended the project plan to include more parking spots and a drop off lane for visitors. Significant construction efforts won’t begin until all the funds are raised.
“Events like Sunday really help to get the word out and raise community awareness of the project,” said Burcher.
Generous community members who donate $1,000 or more will have their name featured on a plaque at the park.
Final Design Debut
After a year of design tweaks based on community input, Burcher says they’ll be unveiling the final skatepark design at the event.
“We’re going to have a big photo rendering of the skate park in its final form… Spohn Ranch (the L.A. based skatepark design company) have really listened to the community to make this a Lincoln space that feels apart of our culture,” said Burcher.
The South Haymarket Skatepark will be Nebraska’s largest skateboarding facility. The City plans to break ground on the 8.5-acre park in summer 2025, with an expected opening date in spring 2026.
For more information about the campaign, visit southhaymarketpark.com.
More event details for this Sunday can be found on Facebook. To learn more about LSA, visit lnksa.org.