Meredith skate park getting some love

MEREDITH – Brendan Hart will be hosting Skate to Renovate on Saturday, June 30, a fundraiser that will, among other things, benefit the community of Meredith and seek to offer positive activities for the youth of the region, as well as link the Lakes Region to the 2020 Olympics.

The skate jam event will take place from noon to 4 p.m., at the Glenn Hart Memorial Skate Park at Prescott Park in Meredith. It will include live bands, food and raffles for a variety of items such as Oakley skateboards and a T-shirt signed by some of the best skateboard performers in the world.

There is also a potpourri of prizes from the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, Mills Falls at the Lake, OSG Paintball, Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant, and many others.

Hart grew up skateboarding at Prescott Park in a venue which was built in 1998 and in 2004 was named for his father Glenn, who was active in Meredith youth recreation.

Over a period of years, the park has fallen into disrepair and Hart, with the assistance of friends and the town recreation department, wants to rebuild.

Last year, he began fundraising with the eventual goal of refurbishing the park.  “I grew up skating at the park,” said the 2017 Plymouth State University graduate, “making lifelong friends.”  By the end of the year, approximately $30,000 had been raised. He has a goal of $50,000 by the end of this year.

Hart watched as, with budget cuts over the years, the park hours were cut back due to a local regulation requiring an attendant, leaving only a few times per week that local children could make use of the park.

That led to many portions of the park to fall into its current state of disrepair.

According to Hart, the Parks and Recreation Department of Meredith has done what they can to repair portions of the park, but is restricted by budget cuts.  “The current surface of the park is not concrete,” he explained, “and is full of cracks.  The recreation department has sealed patches, which do not work well with skateboards; this is not ideal.”

“Concrete is the correct material, although expensive,” he said. “And if we are to save the park, this is what eventually should be done.”

Saving the park has its share of local supporters.

Meredith resident Alan Jenot said the renewal of Hart Park would benefit the community.  “It keeps the kids all in one place,” he said, “It is really important for the town.”

Studies by the University of North Carolina and Johns Hopkins University refer to skateparks as a safe alternative to the streets and one with major benefits to children.

 The Johns Hopkins study refers to it “as an emerging activity.” It is also an alternative for children not inclined toward team sports and works out the body while teaching youngsters self-discipline and self-confidence.

In 2015, the International Olympic Committee accepted skateboarding as an event, making it one of its accepted sports for the 2020 Olympics in Japan.

Since an Olympic sport creates worldwide interest, Brendan Hart believes the Meredith park may generate more tourism activity in town if area parents look for a location for their children to perform in a region with relatively few skateparks.

Vint Choiniere, director of Meredith Parks and Recreation Department, said Hart’s efforts are an asset for the community, and he outlined a variety of repairs and renovations done in the past two years, and described the next part of the process – renovating the steel riding surfaces on all of the existing ramps.

Choiniere said “the park has been included in the 15-year master plan.”

  “The department is committed to providing the best skate park we can with the limited funding that is available in the operating budget,” he said.

Hart looks at the June 30^th event as one which will further his goal of bringing the Hart Memorial Skate Park back and said he plans to apply for grants from allied organizations such as the Tony Hawk Foundation.

More information may be found at the Skate to Renovate Glen Hart Memorial Skate Park page on Facebook.