I moved to a suburb south of Knoxville, TN ten years ago. I remember asking my mother one question at the time “Where is the nearest skate park”? Until February of 2008, the answer to my question was simple, there was not one. Skaters have a way of communicating that spreads like wildfire, and I remember in October of 2008 I got word that Knoxville Skate park was being built. I, like most older skaters, never had fun skating places where we could get into trouble. In fact, any skater in the world would skate his local park if given the chance. Opening day of the park I remember hundreds of people showing up and skating. It was a magical event I hold dear to this day, because to me skating is about pursuing your goals. Every kid that showed up had the gleam in their eye to be the next Tony Hawk, and Knoxville skate park gave them the destination to hone their skills.
Knoxville skate park is located in Tyson Park, near downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee, making it accessible to over four counties. It is a concrete park that flows smooth, and is set up for easy transitions. There are three kinds of bowls available to skate, the peanut, the flow bowl, and the banked bowl. The amazing thing about Knoxville Skate park is it has something for the street skaters too, with and amazing plaza area consisting of stairs, ledges, and rails. To some parents those might be foreign words, but to a skater it is the right mix to shred. The biggest complaint of any park is that they are closed more than there open, Knoxville skate park has the best hours of any skate park in the southeast. They are open Monday through Sunday, all seven days 8A.M. to 11P.M., and when the sun goes down the park is fully lit up. Skating at Knoxville skate park is completely free because it is located in a public park, pads are optional and helmets are mandatory. Not a skater, that is perfectly fine because Knoxville skate park is for bikers too, keep in mind that peg covers are recommended. You can visit there website at knoxvilleskatepark.com for complete rules and upcoming events.
Knoxville skate park is a great place to bring your entire family.Tyson park has more than a skate park it has playgrounds, ball fields, and concessions that is spread out over 27 acres. When I was younger I grew up wanting a place like this to exist, now i am in my 17th year skating and my community made it a reality. whether you want to be the next big skater or you want to hone your skills on an amazing park that pros demo at, you have to visit Knoxville skate park. Places like this do not exist without hard work and support from the community. So check out knoxvilleskatepark.com to find out how you can support your local skate park, and as always skate on!