Montclair, NJ – On February 28, 2022, Skate Essex Inc, the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization designed to promote skateboarding in Northern New Jersey was thrilled to learn that The Skatepark Project (TSP) (formerly The Tony Hawk Foundation) awarded a $25,000 special award for the next phase of the skate park at Rand Park in Montclair.
Combined with funds raised by Skate Essex, this award money will be used to build seven Skateable Sculptures designed by 2021 USA Olympic skateboarder and seven-time X Games Medalist Alexis Sablone. Sablone, an MIT and Barnard graduate is the new US women’s skateboarding team head coach for the 2024 Paris games. These sculptures will be installed at Rand Park on North Fullerton Avenue. Construction is scheduled for mid-March, with groundbreaking in April.
Alexis Sablone’s Skateable Sculptures: Courtesy Alexis Sablone and Skate Essex
“Montclair has such a vibrant and inspiring community of skaters. You can tell how passionate they are by how used and appreciated the existing skate spaces are, and by the tremendous efforts they’ve made to improve and expand the space they have,“ says Alexis Sablone. “I’m really looking forward to seeing my sculptures there and hope they will be loved and skated for years to come.”
“We are honored to support and partner on this innovative project,” said Benjamin Anderson Bashein, Executive Director of The Skatepark Project. “The intentional repurposing of space with modern, skate-able art sculptures is a cutting-edge concept for public skatepark design. This will be TSP’s first special award to support a project of this kind and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share this milestone with the talented Alexis Sablone, who will bring her renowned design and skate expertise to this community-based project.”
“We are so impressed and thrilled with the groundswell of support from the community at large, Skate Essex and now the Skatepark Project to enable Montclair to have this innovative and functional skatepark built by and for skaters by a skater,” said Peter Yacobellis and Robin Schlager, council members from Montclair that have spearheaded this initiative. “We appreciate the support from our colleagues and Mayor Spiller. Alexis’ sculptures represent the best that Montclair offers – art, positivity, community, athletics and diversity for all to enjoy!”
“The Skatepark Project is the preeminent provider of funds for skateparks and we are overjoyed that they have recognized this project as worthy of their special award. Thank you!” says the Board Members of Skate Essex Inc.
It’s interesting, but is it an improvement?