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Residents urge $223,000 skate-park funding for Raleigh-area youth
Summary
Speakers during public comment asked the commission to preserve a $223,000 appropriation for a beginner skate park in Commissioner Sugarman’s district, arguing the project provides safe recreation options and helps prevent youth violence.
Two public commenters urged the commission to keep $223,000 in the FY26 budget to construct a beginner-level skate park in the Raleigh area.
Corey Handy, a life coach and local resident who said he recently gained custody of his 14-year-old son, described the community need: “Skating has done that for a lot of the kids in the Raleigh area... They now have a community of people that they can talk to and relate to.” Later, Benjie Smith, representing Later Skaters Memphis, urged commissioners to ensure the $223,000 line remains intact and available: “In the entirety of the budget, $223,000 is the equivalent of a spoonful of water fighting a house fire... What it will do is it'll make an enormous difference to the children.”
Why it matters: proponents said the modest appropriation would provide safe, local recreation and community-building in an area with limited transit options; they urged the county not to eliminate the line during budget adjustments.
Provenance: both Corey Handy and Benjie Smith’s remarks appear in the public-comment block during Item 1 discussion.
