Hart Family Memorial Skatepark sticks the landing in Meredith

MEREDITH – In the space of a couple of weeks, the Lakes Region went from having no functioning skate parks to having two in neighboring towns.

Laconia opened its park two weeks ago and Meredith’s Hart Family Memorial Skatepark opened on Nov. 27. Both have been popular immediately after their completion, despite the fact that late November and early December aren’t usually considered part of skate season.

The Hart Family Memorial Skatepark, built in honor of Linda Hart-Buuck and Glenn Hart, was a years-long effort sparked by their son, Brendan Hart, who formed the Friends of Meredith Parks and Rec organization to raise money to replace the dilapidated wooden skatepark that was in such disrepair that the gate had been locked for a couple of years. The new park, made of concrete and steel, should prove much more durable.

Hart, who is studying in Europe this fall, said he hopes to have a formal dedication and celebration of the new skatepark next year if it’s healthy to do so. Even without a ribbon-cutting, plenty of scooter riders, BMX bicyclists and skateboarders found their way to the park since it opened.

Connor Brunt, an 11-year-old who lives in Meredith Center, said the new park is showing up just at the right time for him. He’s an athletic kid who plays football, lacrosse and basketball. He started skateboarding last year, but didn’t pursue it seriously until this year.

“I don’t know any tricks,” Connor said, noting that he used to have to get someone to drive him to Plymouth to find the next closest skate park. Now, he’s got a brand new one just a short drive from home.

“It gives you something to do,” he said.

“And it’s better than playing video games,” added his father, James Brunt.

Collin Marchant, a more seasoned skateboarder, came down from Thornton to check out the new park on an unseasonably warm Tuesday. He said there had been a lot of buzz around the Plymouth park about two new facilities opening to the south.

Marchant, who has been skateboarding for about five years, said he’s been to seven or eight different parks, and thinks the Hart Family Memorial Skatepark might be his new favorite. He’ll have to wait to be sure, though, because a passing shower made the concrete too wet to really enjoy.

“It’s super slick when it’s wet,” Marchant said, though he said the features looked promising. “It’s got a lot of potential.”

Pete Thorndike, who took the lead on the project after Hart-Buuck died in January of 2019, said it was gratifying to see the park in use.

“It was really exciting to see the enthusiasm and the excitement the community has for it,” Thorndike said.

It was the community that made the skatepark possible. Town meeting voters chipped in $50,000 – double the amount requested – and other significant donations came from far and wide. Major donors included the Steinwachs Foundation, Meredith Village Savings Bank and the Meredith Rotary Club, as well as the foundation created by legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk. Construction firms helped reduce costs: Pete Verrill Excavation, Coleman Concrete, Nutter Enterprises, Ready Equipment Rental, Milton Cat, Middleton Building Supply and East Coast Foundation.

Thorndike said he’s had expressions of interest from other local businesses and organizations to help landscape the site in the spring.

Once the grass and bushes are planted, the Friends of Meredith Parks and Rec will likely move on to another improvement in Prescott Park, Thorndike said.

He added that he wasn’t surprised to see so many people using the facility this weekend, as the first iteration was similarly popular. Even so, he said it was heartwarming to see a broad range of ages exploring the rails, ramps, bowls and quarter-pipes, with older riders encouraging and coaching the younger ones.

“It was a lot of effort that went into this skatepark,” said Thorndike. “It’s been a long two years, but we did it.”