Press Release:
ROB DYRDEK FOUNDATION AND STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING
CELEBRATE THE GROUNBREAKING OPENING OF KANSAS CITY’S
FIRST SAFE SPOT SKATE SPOT
Kansas City, MO Parks and Recreation Director Mark McHenry and Street League Founder Rob Dyrdek Hold Press Conference & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Tuesday, May 15th
Kansas City, MO (May 15, 2012) – In association with Street League Skateboarding™, the Rob Dyrdek Foundation will celebrate the official opening of Kanasas City’s first Safe Spot Skate Spot at Penn Valley Park. Rob Dyrdek, KCMO Director of Parks and Recreation Mark McHenry and Jan Marcason of the 4th District City Council will hold a press conference at 4:00pm on Wednesday, May 15th at Penn Valley skate plaza, W. 29th St. & Pennsylvania Ave. in Penn Valley Park.
Last year, the Rob Dyrdek Foundation donated $50,000 in design services and $25,000 for the construction of the park. Designed by California Skateparks, a world-renowned skate park design firm, the revamped skate plaza features an additional 7,000 square feet that integrates ten (10) donated elements from the 2011 Street League Skateboarding contest course into the preexisting skate park.
The plaza also features new cantilever capped ledges, stairs, banks, quarterpipes and a fresh coat of paint bringing new life into the old elements of the original park.
The Penn Valley skateplaza is part of Rob Dyrdek Foundation’s “Safe Spot Skate Spot,” a program conceptualized by Rob Dyrdek that seeks to create safe and legal havens for skaters across the country.
The main goals of the program are to provide communities with safe, and legal skate plazas, increase and encourage the active engagement of people in the sport of skateboarding, and design and develop skate plazas in municipalities throughout the world.
Additionally, the program provides an alternative option for communities with limited budgets or space restrictions to develop real street-skating locations.
“I’m extremely proud to partner with Mayor Sly James, Parks and Recreation Director Mark McHenry and the 4th District City Council of Kansas City to revamp and create a world class skateplaza at Penn Valley Park,” said Rob Dyrdek, the Foundation’s Founder and President.
“As you know, Kansas City has produced some of the biggest stars in skateboarding, including last year’s Street League Champion Sean Malto, who will be defending his title on Saturday at the Sprint Center. I am honored that both Street League Skateboarding and the Rob Dyrdek Foundation have helped to continue the City’s strong commitment to the skateboarding community by building more safe and legal skateplazas.”
“I am so grateful to Rob and Street League for their generosity to the City of Kansas City, and skaters from across the area. Penn Valley Park has long been where Kansas City comes to celebrate, and the donation of this equipment to its skate park is one more reason why it is one of America’s finest urban parks. This weekend, skaters from across the Midwest will come to see the Street League DC Pro Tour at our Sprint Center. Some of the nation’s best skate pros have come from Kansas City, and events and equipment like this will continue to keep us on the scene in a big way,” said Kansas City Mayor Sly James.
The Street League DC Pro Tour Fueled by Monster Energy Stop One Finals in Kansas City, MO will broadcast LIVE from the Sprint Center on ESPN2, Saturday May 15, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 p.m. Pacific. For more information and tickets, please visit www.streetleague.com.
About Street League Skateboarding ™
Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the premier professional skateboarding contest series worldwide. Founded by 20-year professional skateboarder and entrepreneur, Rob Dyrdek, Street League features 24 of the world’s top street skateboarders competing exclusively for a groundbreaking $1.6 million prize purse in a nationwide tour live on ESPN/ESPN2.
Driven by the need to enhance the experience of live professional street skateboarding, Street League utilizes the ISX™ instant-scoring format that makes every single trick count. More information is available at www.streetleague.com.
About Rob Dyrdek Foundation
Founded in 2003, the Rob Dyrdek Foundation seeks to create healthy communities by promoting and providing the inherent benefits of skateboarding to all facets of society. The Foundation assists municipalities and non-profits with the design, development, and construction of legal Skate Plazas as well as assists with the creation of community and educational programs that promote and encourage the sport of skateboarding. More information is available at https://robdyrdekfoundation.org.
