The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and a coalition of community organizations celebrated the grand opening of a world-class skate park on Feb. 22, at 1824 E 115th Street and Wilmington Ave.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the long-awaited Watts Skate Park stood as a testament to the power of community collaboration and the project partners’ commitment to fostering healthy, active lifestyles for all communities.
Community members were invited to grab their boards for a day of fun with family and friends. Watts Skate Park was designed as a safe and inspiring space for skaters of all ages, skill levels, and abilities.
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“One of the things the City is doing is locating underutilized space,” stated Rose Watson, public information officer for the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks.
“This space was an empty lot owned by the LA Department of Transportation. In terms of square footage, it met the requirement for a skatepark. What greater opportunity for us than to partner with them and utilize this space for something good? The skatepark is what the community needed and wanted, and here we are,” she beamed.
The grand opening event featured a live DJ, a pro skate demo, and an adaptive sports skate demo to showcase the new equitable recreation space, which encourages inclusivity for everyone.
Designed and built by Upland-based California Skateparks, the Watts Skate Park features the latest designs in a street plaza format, including stairs, ledges, rails, flat banks, and quarterpipes. It’s also the first skatepark to be created as an All Access Skatepark, a design approach introduced by the action sports facility builder that weaves adaptive-friendly features with traditional skatepark elements to make the skatepark accessible to both vision- and mobility-impaired skaters.
“I saw a space to activate the community for skaters to hone their craft,” said Craig Raines, Landscape Architect for the City of LA Department of Recreation and Parks. “This is one of the first parks in the country to be all-inclusive—all types of wheels and mobility accessibility. We hope this space will be a galvanizing component to bring people together.”
The Watts Skate Park includes nearly 12,000 square feet of premier skateboarding venue space in the heart of the Watts community and was made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Los Angeles Community Investment for Families Department, The Skatepark Project, and the Annenberg Foundation.
“The opening of the Watts Skate Park shows what we can accomplish when community leaders and the City come together to invest in our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Tim McOsker who represents District 15. “This park is more than just about skating—it’s about creating a safe, welcoming space where people get exercise and build and strengthen community bonds.
“We need to keep building spaces like this throughout our city, ensuring the community has access to high-quality recreational opportunities. I’m grateful to everyone who helped make this vision a reality, and I look forward to seeing skaters, no matter the age, have fun and thrive here in Watts,” he said.
Barbara Calhoun, district representative for Senator Laura Richardson of the California Legislature, 35th District, said, “I’m here to present the skatepark a certificate of recognition. This is what our children need—sports and activities. I’m excited and glad Sen. Richardson is a part of this.”
And finally, Conner Logan, the 7-year-old Watts Skate Park ambassador, stated, “I’m nervous but really happy! The community is here and all my friends are here. This is a great park.”
To learn more, visit https://www.laparks.org/
