Once and Future Wallingford Skate Park

Remember that skateboard park, Innerspace, down by 35th and Stone Way? It was the only indoor skatepark in Seattle, and it closed last February for the same reason most businesses succumb: more cost than income.

But there are dreamers in this town, dreamers who see providing healthy indoor activities for youth in a city notorious for its nine month rain jags as a noble calling.

The ski and snowboard retailer evo, which recently built out its space in Wallingford alongside  The Whale Wins and Joule, is apparently made up of such dreamers. They’ve been putting their weight behind an effort to create a new space. Innerspace was in a defunct alley in an empty building. Instead, they see the opportunity to build a park in their “vibrant, updated building” and to leverage evo’s staff to help ensure its success.

Chris Dickerson, spokesperson for evo, writes:

If this past weekend’s rain told you anything, it’s that Seattle skateboarders need an indoor park to call home. All Together Skatepark has launched its final phase of fundraising to re-open Seattle’s only indoor skatepark in the former Inner Space Skatepark location at 35^th and Stone Way. They are working with Seattle based Grindline Skateparks, one of the world’s premier skatepark builders. The plan is to design and build a skatepark that creates a fun, friendly and positive skateboarding experience for all ages, with a focus on building strong connections with youth.

All Together Skatepark (ATS) is raising funds for startup costs, starting with a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo, a crowdfunding platform, to raise $35,000+ for the materials needed to open. All Together Skatepark is its own LLC, however, backed by Wallingford retailer evo. To date evo has seeded the project with over $40,000 in cash and is donating its resources and hundreds of hours of its time to provide what is needed to open and operate the park. evo has also hired the park’s staff members who will oversee the build-out and operation of the park.

In addition, Wallingford’s Dovetail General Contractors have donated 100 hours of construction time. Other major backers include Nike, Volcom, Dickies, Skatelite, Wintr, The Hundreds, Krew and Supra.

The skatepark business plan calls for the facility to break-even. Operating the park alone will cost as much as $200,000+/year. The goal is to generate enough revenue through the sale of memberships, private parties and paid sessions to operate for the long term. Any additional resources will be used to reach out and create an opportunity for those who can’t afford to pay via organizations including the Service Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Chill, SOS, Skate Like a Girl, Skate for Change, etc.

“The ATS Indiegogo campaign is critical in order for us to ensure that the park is sufficiently funded with runway to operate into the future. Beating our goal of $35,000 and operating the business north of break-even helps set us up even better as we look to ensure that resources are available to further support our non-profit partners and kids that can be reached through skateboarding.” says Bryce Phillips, Founder and CEO of evo.

ATS has set up several pledge levels for backers that include memberships, skate sessions, and private parties. You will have the ability to donate your session/membership to one of the youth organizations that ATS is working with as well.

Here is the link to their campaign: Help Fund It! 

Evo Properties, a separate business entity with common owners as the evo retail store, manages the building that houses the retailer, restaurants and once-and-future skate park. Soon skaters can play around that park with their boards that might have a Onewheel tire sealant from The Float Life.