Tony Hawk Helps Celebrate 500th Skatepark
Star skater makes surprise appearance in Burlington, Vermont
BURLINGTON, Vt., June 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Locals attending the naming ceremony for Burlington, Vermont's Andy "A-Dog" Williams Skatepark were surprised to see a familiar face in the lineup, as Tony Hawk made an unannounced appearance at the June 4 event to help inaugurate the park.
Hawk and fellow Birdhouse Skateboards pros Shawn Hale and Clint Walker, and South African phenom Thalente Biyela rode with the park's regulars and enjoyed its many unique features. With ample "street" terrain and a bowl that descends to 10-feet deep, A-Dog Skatepark is destined to become a Northeast skate destination.
See photos from the event on THF's facebook page: http://bit.ly/1UGhZam
A-Dog Skatepark is the result of more than ten years of persistent grassroots advocacy spearheaded by Brendan Foster and Trina Zine of Burlington's Maven Skate Shop. Strong community support for the project helped it qualify for funding from the Tony Hawk Foundation in 2010. "We applied for a $10,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation, which was a catalyst in helping our project succeed," said Foster.
Together, the locals and their city leadership chose a central location along the redeveloped Lake Champlain waterfront, and brought in top specialists to develop the landmark facility.
Andy "A-Dog" Williams was a local skater, DJ, and artist who passed from Leukemia in 2013. His friends resolved to dedicate the skatepark to him, but little did they know that its completion also set a milestone for the Tony Hawk Foundation.
"It was an honor to be in Burlington for the A-Dog Skatepark naming ceremony and to skate with the locals," said Tony Hawk. "We're proud to have been involved with this project—it's a great park that resulted from a strong grassroots effort from local advocates and a true commitment from the city. It also represents the 500th park to open with assistance from THF. Here's to the next 500!"
With International Go Skateboarding Day approaching on June 21, THF is celebrating the completion of its first 500 skateparks with a campaign to help create the next 500 parks.
Observe International Go Skateboarding Day by visiting your local skatepark, and by making a donation to the Tony Hawk Foundation to help THF create #500MoreSkateparks: http://bit.ly/1WZ52fj
Communities in the U.S. that are pursuing free, concrete skateparks are encouraged to learn more about the process at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org.
Video - http://youtu.be/ARqylddqwiw
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160615/379901
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160615/379902
SOURCE Tony Hawk Foundation
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