Friarsgate Skatepark broke ground yesterday with Mayor Berry Walker, Irmo Town Council, and the Irmo Skatepark Committee. The skatepark will be a part of a larger project that includes a dog park, a community garden, a playground, new parking, and more located at 1113 Friarsgate Blvd.

The concrete skatepark will take up ~9,000 sqft of the 9-acre park and will have multiple obstacles made of poured concrete + metal coping. The design will accommodate skateboarders, scooterists, roller skaters, and BMXers. It will cost roughly $250,000+, will be funded mostly by a mosh-posh of local grants, and set to be complete by summer 2022.

If you can’t wait that long to shred and don’t mind a short car ride — 78 miles —, the Irmo Skatepark Committee has been working with designers from 5th Pocket Skateparks who just recently built a new skatepark in Florence, SC at McLeod Park.

The project manager and creator of the Irmo Skatepark Committee, Robert Cartin, decided to build a skatepark for his community after having to drive 45+ min. to skate with his son. He listened to a podcast series, “The Skateboard Project” where Tony Hawk outlines 10 steps to take to get a skatepark built in your hometown.

The first renderings of the park from 2021. | Photo provided

Robert asked for a meeting with Mayor Walker, and said if Robert could prove there was interest, he would consider it. In Dec. 2020, Robert called upon community members like local skate shops, members of Irmo City Council, local builders, parents, and skaters for support. He gathered 100+ people on a zoom call during the pandemic with the City Council that voted in favor 4-1 of the park.

Thus, the idea of how Friarsgate Skatepark was born and volunteer opportunities will be available as plans develop.