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Local skateboard nonprofit details park repairs, youth lessons and storage plans
Summary
The Greater Rockbridge County Skateboard Coalition (GRCSC) told council it has repaired park structures, given free lessons to more than 220 county youth in 2024, received grants for a portable park and storage building, and is seeking volunteers and local partnerships to expand programming.
Lance Barnum (presenting for the Greater Rockbridge County Skateboard Coalition, GRCSC) told council the volunteer group has focused on restoring the Lexington Skatepark and expanding outreach across Rockbridge County.
Barnum said GRCSC formed in May 2021 as a 501(c)(3) and has used all‑volunteer labor to build and repair ramps, install rails and concrete features, and maintain a 4‑foot half‑pipe constructed with volunteer assistance and engineering support. He reported the group supplied free lessons to more than 220 county youth in 2024, distributed roughly 30 skateboards along with pads and helmets for community use, and operates a portable park purchased with a grant to reach areas of the county without a proper surface.
Grants and facilities: Barnum identified a $5,000 grant from the Carilion Rockbridge Community Health Foundation used to buy a portable skate park that fits in a trailer and that GRCSC uses at outreach events. He said the group received a $5,000 RCHF grant to purchase a 10‑by‑16 storage building (Lexington Public Works agreed to pour the pad) and a $1,200 grant from Washington and Lee to build a skateboard repair station. He said Spencer Home Center donated plywood for repairs.
Challenges and next steps: Barnum told council challenges include summer heat (pavement surface temperatures 30–40 degrees hotter than ambient), limited shade, distant restrooms and constrained parking during events. He said the coalition hopes the storage building will arrive this fall and that a donated $2,500 gift in memory of a local skateboarder will seed a GoFundMe to pursue larger concrete structures offering longer warranties.
Council response: Councilmembers thanked Barnum and praised the coalition’s volunteer work and partnerships with Lexington Public Works, schools and youth programs. Barnum estimated attendance of roughly 300–400 people at a May 17 outreach event (he counted 297 wristbands distributed and said ‘‘by consensus, we feel like there was a good chance there was 400 that day’’).
