Indoor skatepark set to open this fall in the River Arts District

Posted on — Thomas Calder

PRESS RELEASE:

The River Arts District will add a new local attraction to its community as RAD Skatepark sets to open this fall. RAD skatepark will be the only indoor skatepark in Western North Carolina. It will provide regional skaters the opportunity to experience 10,000 square feet of an indoor course inspired by street obstacles from famous skateboarding spots throughout the U.S.

Alex Robertson, the owner of RAD Skatepark has been diligently working to bring an indoor skatepark to Asheville for the past three years. “The idea to open an indoor park really just came from my love of skateboarding,” said Robertson. “I started skating when I was seven, and it has been a huge part of my life ever since. The winters can drag on here, and we get a lot of rain. So I wanted to create a place where people could skate no matter the weather.”

After signing a lease this past spring to build the park in the Foundation, a 13-acre property in the River Arts District that is home to area artists, makers, skaters and recently the new addition of 12 Bones, and The Wedge Brewery; Robertson got to work designing the park with Brad Siedlecki of Pillar Design Studios, an Arizona based skatepark architecture firm and industry leader in skatepark design and construction.

“Pillar has a reputation as one of the best skatepark architects out there,” said Robertson. “I’ve skated a couple of their parks and really liked them, so Pillar was the first and only company I reached out to for the design.”

The skatepark currently is under construction and will feature designs similar to experiences such as Hubba Hideout, The China Banks and Pier 7 in San Francisco. “The park has a little bit of everything—stairs, rails, ledges, curbs, banks, quarter pipes and a four foot mini ramp with a six foot extension,” said Robertson. “The park also will have a lounge area with a pool table, couches and a TV.”

RAD Skatepark will be celebrating its grand opening this fall. All are invited to come and enjoy the skatepark located at 37 Foundy Street, Asheville NC 28801. For more information, or to see our hours of operation, visit radskateparkavl.com or call RAD Skatepark at 1-828-338-8830.

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About Thomas Calder
Thomas Calder received his MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. His writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, the Miracle Monocle, Juked and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, is now available.
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