The Middlebury Skatepark Project, a non-profit dedicated to advocating for the construction of a concrete skate park in town, aims to see the project completed by 2028 in Recreation Park, located directly across from Mary Hogan Elementary School on Mary Hogan Drive. The nonprofit’s team began hosting public design meetings over the summer and has since laid out plans with the chosen design firm New Line Skateparks, meeting biweekly to work out the details of the development.
Making progress on the project has not been easy, according to Ethan Murphy, the nonprofit’s president who first conceived of the park in 2011. Difficulties have arisen from working with the municipal government over planning and funding. The town recently installed a stormwater system next to the planned location, making the 7500 square foot design impossible to carry out in full.
“All we’re asking for 7500 square feet of safe, designated space for wheeled sports, which doesn’t seem like it should be this hard,” Murphy said. “Everything takes way longer than I would like it to take, and I think citizens would like it to take… If I was building a pickleball court, it would have been done years ago.”
Some town residents and representatives of the Middlebury Parks and Recreation department have expressed concerns over the skate park being “a gathering place for adolescents,” according to Murphy. But Murphy said one of the main incentives to develop a skate park in Middlebury is to mitigate the appeal of street skating, which is dangerous due to the risk of accidents with cars. This site would create a safe venue for not just skateboarding but all types of wheeled sports, from biking to roller skating, reducing the risk for beginners and young people.
“I’ve talked to many other municipalities in Vermont, and many rec departments say it’s the most consistently well-used asset in the town,” Murphy said. The Towns of Bennington and Waterbury both completed their own skate parks this fall.
On the Skatepark Project’s website, Greg Boglioli, chair of the Middlebury Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, endorsed the project along with several other local organizations.
“We believe a skate park at Rec. Park would be a true asset to the town and would be another step in the departmental and committee’s goal of revitalizing the park and making it a true family destination,” Bogliogo wrote.
The park will cost an estimated $562,000. Fundraising done by the non-profit provided 90% of the funds to pay New Line Skatepark, with the town government covering the remaining 10% of costs. Last year, when the town planned to reduce the Skatepark Project’s budget, public advocacy efforts helped maintain the funding at current levels.
Local business support has been crucial. Two Brothers Tavern hosted a fall fundraiser last year and will host another on Friday, Nov. 8 from 5-9 p.m.
The Middlebury Skatepark Project is focused not only on the skatepark project, but on an education mission. It has conducted summer programs with Mary Hogan, teaching grade-school aged children to learn wheeled sports. It hopes to expand summer offerings upon the completion of the skate park, as its location would be accessible for the elementary and middle school.
Murphy hopes that the skate park will be open to the public for 10 months of the year.
“We know how dedicated people who never had something will be when they get it…you’ll see kids shoveling snow in March [to skate],” Murphy said. The project built a mini-ramp as a proof of concept, with support from Silver Maple Construction.
As a non-profit organization, the project relies on volunteers to advance its goals, including Middlebury students. Clark O’Bryan ’23 presented the first site analysis and design to the Middlebury Parks and Recreation Department.
There are currently three students enrolled in the Community-Connected Learning Course at the college who have selected the Skateboard Project as their community partnership. Brooke Dolan ’26 is working on a social cohesion mural for the park in partnership with local eldercare facilities, the Charter House Coalition and the Ilsley Public Library. Other students are working on the website and social media for the project.
“I was connected to the Middlebury Skatepark Project to help organize mural painting sessions with various community groups,” Dolan said. “The goal of this project is to connect with community members and give as many people a voice as possible, through contributions to a mural in the future community skatepark.”
At the start of each academic year, the Skatepark Project participates in the Community Engagement Fair, allowing Middlebury students the opportunity to sign up for their newsletter and become involved in the project’s initiatives. Students are encouraged to keep an eye out for an announcement of the design committee’s second open meeting, as the skate park strongly values the input of the local community.
