Last weekend, city officials and community leaders broke ground on Cincinnati’s first full-scale skatepark in Camp Washington.
Despite Cincinnati’s already popular skate scene and a general resurgence in nationwide skate culture thanks to the sport’s popularity at the Olympics, a dedicated skatepark inside city limits has never been constructed until now.
“Cincinnati is a really big name in skating, with a ton of well-known professional skaters and a ton of iconic skate spots featured in world-class videos,” said Gabrielle Larkin, co-founder of the Cincinnati Skate Project. “We already have a giant skating community, we’ve just never had a dedicated place for it … We’ve kind of just been hiding in the shadows, but now we’re really trying to put it in everyone’s face. We’re here, and we deserve a space to do what we love.”
The initial push for a Queen City skatepark began four years ago, when she worked with the Cincinnati Skate Project’s founder Evan Walker to determine what it would take for city officials to authorize construction of a dedicated skate zone. She’s hoping that once this park gets up and running, it will be even easier to get the city on board with building even more skateparks.
“It’s the same way that you’ve got multiple basketball courts or soccer fields that are really accessible all over the city. Usually, anyone who lives in the city can find one within 10 or 15 minutes away. We really want skating to be the same way,” she said. “You never hear someone ask where the best place to play basketball is. They just go. We want skateparks on the North, South, East, West sides of Cincinnati, in the central district, and everywhere else.”
While there are a few smaller skateparks around and outside city limits, like in Delhi or Beech Acres, there’s never been a full-fledged skating area in our city. This one, constructed by Hunger Skateparks, will cater to all skill levels and feature several major set pieces. Multiple boxes, ledges, rails, hips and ramps will be on hand, alongside a bowl and a centerpiece shaped like a Cincinnati chili coney. It will also feature landscaping and greenery provided by nonprofit organization Groundwork Ohio River Valley.
It’s not just skateboarders that you’ll see at the park, though. Quad and blade skaters will be welcomed with open arms, as will BMX riders—an important detail for Larkin, who founded the Cincinnati Skate Collective in 2020. Since its inception, the group has grown to feature nearly 1,500 inline skaters across the Cincinnati area.
“A lot of people don’t even realize that you can skate with eight wheels at a skate park. It’s important to have several different voices at the table to make sure everyone’s welcome,” she said. “Obviously skateboarding is the most common aspect, but skaters are truly stronger when we speak out for what we want together … Why should it be an us versus them thing just because you ride on a different number of wheels?”
Local skaters are excited about how the park is in a “perfect location,” as it’s right off the highway and directly connected to a bus route and a bike line. Previously, when Larkin held skating lessons or meetups, she’d have to drive to Florence or even farther; for several prospective riders, the distance was too much of a factor to overcome.
It won’t just be for skaters, either, as much of an oxymoron as that seems. Since skateparks are a “social space,” Larkin says, there will be places for citizens to relax and enjoy themselves like a designated barbecue area.
And now that the skatepark is moving in, the city is finally revitalizing Camp Washington’s recreational zone (featuring a pool and playground!) that’s directly next to the park—most of which has been largely defunct, non-operational or poorly maintained for decades now.
While the city did greenlight construction, a significant portion of funding for the skatepark has come from arts and sports grants or independent donors. Larkin says the organization is still searching for funding for important park features, like proper lighting.
Given that Larkin is the co-founder of the Cincinnati Skate Project, a player on the Cincinnati Rollergirls roller derby team, and the founder of the Cincinnati Skate Collective, it’s safe to say skating runs in her blood. Her father has been loudly advocating for a skatepark across the past four decades now, and her kids are avid skaters who also attend city meetings to speak out about the city’s need for a dedicated skating spot.
“For me, this is multifaced. It’s not just about helping the community. It’s about activating three generations of my family to do something that we love together,” she said. “And that’s really fulfilling for me, because I know it’ll be the same for so many other people, and this park will be highly used and highly appreciated by people all over the city.”
