Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Opens Region’s Largest Skate Plaza

By the City of Sioux Falls



Today, the City of Sioux Falls, Let’s Skate, and the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce formally cut the ribbon of the Barb Iverson Skate Plaza. The new skate plaza is a $2.5 million state-of-the-art skate park named in memory of a popular middle school teacher who died from cancer in 2021.

Iverson was a dedicated Patrick Henry Middle School English teacher and a fitting namesake for the city’s newest state-of-the-art skate plaza. Iverson championed skateboarding for young people in Sioux Falls. Before the city even had a public skate park, she invested her own money in ramps for her backyard and even transported teenagers to out-of-town skate parks. Her advocacy continued as Sioux Falls built its first skate park near Drake Springs in 1998 and a second at Kuehn Park.

“Seeing this park come to fruition has been a labor of love from so many individuals passionate about bringing a world-class skatepark to Sioux Falls, Allison Dvorak, President of the Let’s Skate Board, said. “I look forward to seeing our mission of building community through skateboarding continue to be realized through the use and programming of this park.”

At 22,000 square feet, the park will be one of the largest in the country. It features a flow bowl area with spaces designed for skateboarders of all abilities, including an advanced section, a rock terrace feature, a street plaza lane, and grind rails.

“We’re thrilled to add this state-of-the-art skate plaza to our first-class park system,” Don Kearney, Director of Parks and Recreation, said. “This inclusive space caters to riders of all abilities and adds to the unique and diverse experiences available in Sioux Falls parks.”

This project was made possible by a partnership with the City and Let’s Skate. The project costs $2.5 million total. Let’s Skate raised $1.7 million for the project. Parks and Recreation funded $800,000 for site improvements, including rough grading, utilities, lighting, pedestrian connections, and landscaping. Newline Skateparks designed and built the new amenity.

“This is an incredible example of a public-private partnership to support kids and our quality of life in our community. This skate park will bring even more energy to this popular area for kids and families with the existing Drake Springs Family Aquatic Center,” said Mayor Paul TenHaken. “I’m excited to see skateboarders of all levels and ages use this park and connect with their peers.”

Speakers at the event included Mayor Paul TenHaken, Mike Begeman (President of the Park Board), Allison Dvorak (President of the Skate Board for Let’s Skate), and Erika Iverson (Family of Barb Iverson). April Meyerink and Matt Paulson represented the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce.

Let’s Skate will host First Skate Weekend July 11–13 with a family picnic and skating with professional skaters Brandon Turner and Dan Mancina. Find more information about Let’s Skate opening weekend here. The Barb Iverson Skate Plaza is located at Nelson Park (200 South Fairfax Avenue) and is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

Full article here: https://www.siouxfalls.gov/news/2024/07/11/20240711-skate