‘It’s Going to Bring a Lot of Joy to People Here.’ Long-Planned Skatepark Opens in State College

State College celebrated the grand opening of its long-awaited public skatepark on Friday, marking the culmination of more than a decade of efforts and the fulfillment of a dream for many in the community.

High Point Action Sports Park, 855 W. Whitehall Rd., is a 20,000-square-foot, wheelchair accessible facility for skateboards, scooters, bikes and roller skates constructed on the former site of an unused baseball field, covering about 3 acres of the 6-acre park.

“This is a community resource that a lot of people are going to use, and it is going to bring a lot of joy to people here,” State College Mayor Ezra Nanes said. “Not just the kids or adults who like to skate, but their families or friends who could sit and watch… I could just sit here and watch this literally all day. And the park is still also a park. Even if you are not into skating, just come and hang out and enjoy the grass, sit on a beautiful bench and enjoy the park.”

Before and after remarks from local officials, kids and adults spent the day riding in State College’s first free public park designed for wheeled sports. The afternoon included BMX and scooter pro demos and a jam with MC, an open skate and DJ, area vendors and wood-fired pizza from Happy Valley Chef.