The Hollenback Skate Park, located within Hollenback Park, will be open from dawn to dusk.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
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Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown stands with employees of Plains Bikes as well as members of City Council to welcome everyone to the grand opening of the Hollenback stake park.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
Kevin Czekalski, owner of Plains Bike Shop, poses with the winners of the raffle contest.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
The Hollenback Skate Park is open to skateboarders, BMX bikers and scooter riders of all ages and skill levels.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
The Crates an indie and alternative rock band from Wilkes-Barre, performed at the grand opening.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — For 10-year-old Braydenlee Griffith, opening day of Wilkes-Barre’s new skate park couldn’t come soon enough.
“He made me drive by a couple times just to see how far it was coming,” said his mom, Jessica Griffith.
Braydenlee’s waiting finally came to an end Sunday afternoon, when, after two years of planning and building, the action park, located in Hollenback park, officially opened to the public.
“He woke up right out of bed and was like, lets go,” said Griffith, who was sitting in a fold up chair off to the side, watching Braydenlee and other skateboard, scooter and BMX bike enthusiasts of all ages try out the park for the very first time.
The turnout was massive and the crowd was a welcomed surprise for Ryan Kocher, of Allentown.
“I’m usually used to going to a park, having it all to myself, not having anybody to ride with,” said Kocher. “Here, it’s a big community.”
The grand opening featured food vendors Parlor Beverages and The Ice Cream Truck 1961, offering welcomed refreshments on such a warm, sunny.
There was also a selfie station set up by DJ Donnie Evans Entertainment and live music from local band, The Crates.
“What a great day for the city of Wilkes-Barre today,” said Mayor George Brow during his opening remarks. He was joined behind the podium by members of city council as well as workers from Plains Bike Shop, who were on the action park committee and were instrumental the design of the skate park.
“Their hand prints are all over this park,” said Brown.
Brown also thanked Mike Amato, project engineer, as well as Joyce Morras Zaykowski, Director and Office of Economics and Community Development and Mark Barry, grant coordinator, for their many contributions to the project.
The park was built by American Ramp Company, for an estimated cost of $415,000.
The idea for the skate park came to Brown about two years ago, when he was out for a walk with his grandson, Cole, and saw that a makeshift skate park had been set up in Barney Farms Park, near the tennis courts.
Brown ultimately found it to be unsafe and it was taken down, but he made a promise that he would build a real skate park.
“Now, you have a place to come,” said Brown “This is your park.”
Plains Bike Shop owner, Kevin Czekalski, said that the dream for a skate park goes all the way back to the 1970s, but they could never get the project off the ground.
“We went through several administrations, not just the city of Wilkes-Barre, but other towns other municipalities, and we always got shot down with the same old tired excuses.”
Now, that dream is finally a reality.
“Lets take care of it, lets bring more people to it,” said Czekalski. “Hopefully, someday, it’s going to get bigger. It’s all up to us to make that happen.”