Greetings Skatepark Community –
My, do we find ourselves in challenging times. As Give Local York 2020 approaches, I wanted to give you a heads-up on our participation in that campaign.
There has been discussion and debate among some of us involved in leadership of the skatepark committee regarding whether we should participate this year when there is such compelling human need and economic crisis in our community. We have decided to do so and would appreciate your continued support if you are able and moved to contribute. That decision is based on several factors.
The first is practical – the park needs our continued funding and support to maintain our legacy of providing an outstanding experience without costing the taxpayers a penny. We have never asked for or accepted money from the City of York, and we will not do so now. I will be clear – the city has been an incredible partner since day one, and they continue to give us enormous moral and logistical support. But all the repair and maintenance work at the park is done with donated money. This is really our only opportunity annually to take advantage of the giving infrastructure Give Local provides to small organizations such as ours.
Second, prior to the Coronavirus crisis hitting, we committed to installing the long-planned shade structure at the park, in memory of Dan Glorioso. Thanks to the generous support of Murphy & Ditttenhafer Architects, Mowery Construction, Fitz & Smith Excavating, Keith Smith Concrete and Salvaging Creativity, the foundations are in place and a contract signed to fabricate the shelter. We are counting on Give Local York 2020 contributions to complete that project in a financially responsible way. Not participating would leave that in limbo.
And finally, let us not disregard the value of the park as a place of refuge and support for the hundreds of skaters who use it as a safe and healthy place to ride. When the immediate crisis passes, the park clearly has value as a community gathering place that is especially important to its users.
We strongly encourage you to give to York’s COVID-19 Response Fund and other Give Local York 2020 participating organizations that are providing a front-line response to those in need. Then, if your means allow, please consider also giving again to the skatepark.
Be safe and be well.
R. Eric Menzer
Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark Committee Member
Give Local York is a fun and inspiring 24-hour online giving event. The goal is simple: inspire York Countians to come together, show pride in their community and contribute to support the life-changing work of local nonprofits.
For the first time ever, on May 4, 2018, York County will be transformed into a community-wide celebration of generosity that benefits hundreds of nonprofit organizations serving York County, including the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark!
Give Local York unites donors, businesses, and organizations in giving back to the communities where we live, work and play. On May 4, every dollar donated at www.givelocalyork.org is stretched with bonus funds provided by our generous sponsors, adding excitement and incentives, while raising essential funds for the work of local nonprofits.
From First Friday activities to dine outs, flash mobs and more, Give Local York will unite organizations and individuals for 24 hours as part of a deeply engaging fete of good work and giving back in York County.
Check out our Give Local Page by clicking on the image below and be sure to donate on May 4th!
By ERIN JAMES
Donors have contributed more than $500,000 to keep the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark maintained for years to come.
The fundraising campaign kicked off in September with a goal of raising $500,000 to expand and enhance the skatepark named in honor of a 14-year-old York City boy who died in 2006.
On Jan. 22, 2006, Reid was riding his homemade street luge when he was struck by a car at the intersection of Arlington Street and Merion Road.
His friends, fellow skaters and family decided to build a skate park in his honor. He’d often told his father, Eric Menzer, that York should have a skate park, a place where people could learn, practice and excel at their sport. The city donated property; numerous others donated time, services and money to build the park at 941 Vander Ave.
The park opened in 2008.
The latest fundraising campaign, dubbed “360 — Finish What We Started,” aimed to raise enough money to add lights, improve skater amenities and expand the park. The campaign will also create a permanent maintenance endowment housed at the York County Community Foundation.
In a news release, fundraisers announced Wednesday — the eighth anniversary of Reid Menzer’s death — they met that goal and then some. The campaign raised a total of $540,000.
“The vast majority of the people who contributed are not skaters … but realized that this is an important community asset,” said Bill Shipley, chairman of the fundraising committee and CEO of Shipley Energy.
Fundraising was more difficult before 2008, when the skatepark was just an idea. This time around, donors didn’t have to be convinced of the park’s value, Shipley said.
“Now it’s a proven community asset,” he said. “It’s not, ‘Maybe this will work, or maybe it won’t.’ We know it’s working.”
The expansion and lighting project will get under way this spring, according to the release.
Several companies — including Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects of York, Exist Skateboard Shop, Barton Associates and Wagman Construction — are donating their time and expertise to the project.
— Reach Erin James at [email protected]
The “Reid 360” fundraising campaign to repair, expand and light the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark has topped its $500,000 stretch goal, raising a remarkable $540,000 to expand the park and ensure that it is maintained in perpetuity at private expense. Campaign Chairman Bill Shipley called it an “amazing response that proves what a generous and committed community we live in.” “Most of the contributions came from people who have never touched a skateboard but who understand how important the park is to the quality of life in York for thousands of users,” said Shipley. Completion of the campaign comes on the eighth anniversary of Reid Menzer’s death in 2006 that spurred the initial park construction.
Initial repairs planned as part of the campaign have already been completed. Structural Restoration Services of Loganville, PA restored naturally-occurring cracking and upgraded the expansion joints of the park, completing their work in December of 2013. The work was overseen by the donated efforts of Fritz Read, owner of Read & Company Architects.
The design for the expansion and lighting of the park is underway and will begin in the spring of 2014. Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects of York is donating their services to lead the effort, in consultation with experts who were involved in the original skatepark design and local skaters led by skatepark committee member Jon Gordon, owner of Exist Skateboard Shop in York. Barton Associates is donating the electrical design, and Wagman Construction is donating construction management services.
The expansion project will add additional elements to the park fashioned from salvaged industrial objects that typify York’s industrial heritage. It will add 7,125 square feet to the existing park, enlarging it by 35 percent. The lighting will extend the hours that the park can be enjoyed by users, particularly by students in the spring and fall months. Additional enhancements will include shade and an edge treatment to stabilize areas damaged by erosion and overuse.
A maintenance endowment that will be created at the York County Community Foundation will ensure that resources are available to keep the park in outstanding condition for many years.
Skatepark Committee Chair Brenda Welty said she was gratified by the response of community leaders on behalf of skaters. “I’ve watched the skatepark get heavy use for five years now,” she said. “It is so exciting to see it expanded and improved.” Welty, whose son Dakota is a park user, has organized park competitions and events and led the skatepark committee into this capital campaign. “Brenda is a trooper,” said Shipley. “She’s a great example of someone who is passionate about a cause and sticks with it. Everyone who uses the park owes her a debt of thanks.”
The skatepark opened in September of 2008 as a memorial to 14-year-old Reid Menzer, who was killed when he was struck by a car while riding his street luge. He was a skater who spoke often about York needing a skatepark where both beginners and experienced skaters could safely learn and enjoy their passion. The park sits on land donated by the City of York in Veterans Memorial Park and was built entirely with donations. Since its opening, it has won accolades as one of the finest parks in the region and has been enjoyed by tens of thousands of users. It represents an outstanding public-private collaboration
To learn more about the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark and the capital campaign visit www.reidmenzermemorialskatepark.org.
By Kara Eberle
11/19/2013 01:57:25 PM EST
Five years of skateboarding takes a toll on concrete.
It’s not like the skaters — about 20,000 of them each year, according to the park’s website — have been especially tough on the bank ramp, Euro Gap or Snake Run Ditch, to name a few of the features.
The cracks are the result of normal wear and tear on the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark in York, said Bill Shipley, spokesman for the park.
“It’s been five years,” he said.
The skatepark opened in September 2008 as a memorial to 14-year-old Reid Menzer, son of York Revolution General Manager Eric Menzer. Reid was killed when he was struck by a car while riding a street luge. The park is in York’s Veterans Memorial Park and was built entirely with donations.
Darin Haaversen from Structural Restoration Services of Loganville works on repairing a spot on the concrete deck above. The cracks in the foreground have been ground out to allow the polymer cement to fully bond with the surface. The surface will be ground smooth after the repair. (Paul Kuehnel – Daily Record/Sunday News)
Now the organizers of the park need more donations, so the park can be self-supported for years to come.
As of mid-November, they are just $88,000 away from reaching the goal of $500,000. They’re optimistic that they’ll get there by the end of the year, Eric Menzer said.
In the meantime, enough money was raised so far that some of it could be spent on maintenance, including repair and restoration of cracks in the park’s decking.
The work, that’s expected to last another couple of weeks, is being performed by Structural Restoration Services of Loganville. The goal is to get the work done before winter.
And, after the overall 360 Expansion project is done, there will be several new features for skateboarders.
Rollers, a full pipe, a jersey wall and lights, to name a few.
And Shipley said he doesn’t expect to see another five years go by before the park gets another face lift.
To learn more about the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark and the capital campaign, visit www.reidmenzermemorialskatepark.org.
Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 11/09/2013 12:48:53 AM EST
The fund-raising effort to repair and expand the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark in York has topped $400,000 and as a result, work will soon begin at the park.
The project, which will add 7,125 square feet to the park — a 35-percent expansion — will incorporate salvaged industrial objects to represent York’s manufacturing heritage. Lighting will also be added to extend the park’s hours after dark. Organizers also plan to establish a maintenance endowment to pay for the park’s upkeep.
Immediate work includes repair and restoration of cracks in the park’s decking, to be performed by Structural Restoration Services of Loganville. The work is expected to take 30 days. Bill Shipley, chairman of the fund-raising effort, said organizers wanted to those repairs done before winter.
The goal of the campaign is $500,000, and fund-raising efforts will continue.
“The York community is extremely generous, and this proves it yet again,” Shipley was quoted as saying in a news release. “We have a number of prospective donors still to reach in the next 30 days.”
The skatepark opened in September 2008 as a memorial to 14-year-old Reid Menzer, son of York Revolution General Manager Eric Menzer. Reid was killed when he was struck by a car while riding a street luge. The park is in York’s Veterans Memorial Park and was built entirely with donations.
To learn more about the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark and the capital campaign, visit www.reidmenzermemorialskatepark.org.
York, PA – In the five years the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark has been open, it’s seen tens of thousands of visitors. But the park — already declared one of the best in the state by those who use it — will only get better with the “360: Finish what we started” campaign, announced Friday by the skatepark committee.
Committee member Eric Menzer lost his son, 14-year-old Reid Menzer, in 2006 when he was hit by a car while riding a street luge.
The park was created to provide a safe place for other youth in York County, Eric Menzer said. But when it was opened in September 2008, it was “really only 60 percent complete,” he added.
The committee hopes to soon change that.
For the past six weeks, they’ve been working behind the scenes to raise about $260,000 toward the $500,000 goal to finish the park by next spring.
The campaign is now open to financial contributions from the public and downtown businesses, as well as “in kindness” donations for those who want to volunteer.
“Reid’s friends were the first ones to raise money for the project,” Eric Menzer said. “We want those families to still have a sense of ownership with the park. No donation is too small.”
Menzer said the committee plans to work with businesses to have them donate a percentage of sales to the cause.
The renovations will enlarge the park by 35 percent, add lighting, and provide edge treatment for areas damaged by
erosion and overuse, according to a news release. It also will ensure the park is maintained for the nearly 20,000 visitors who use it each year.
Jon Gordon, owner of Exist Skate Shop and a member of the skatepark committee, said Saturday that skaters have reviewed the park, and it rivals top skateparks found in other states.
“When we didn’t have the park, it was like if a golfer didn’t have a golf course in York County,” Gordon said. “It’s something that was in high demand.”
The skatepark committee hopes to have all the funds raised by the end of the year and complete construction this spring. @ralefever; 771-2088
The skatepark
The Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark is at Memorial Park, 941 Vander Avenue in York.
It is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The park is for skateboards and inline skaters. Those interested in helping with the “360: Finish what we started” project can visit www.reidmenzermemorialskatepark.org for details.
ERIN JAMES / The York Dispatch 505-5439 / @ydcity
Updated: 09/05/2013 07:42:28 AM EDT
A campaign will kick off this week to raise half a million dollars for the expansion and enhancement of a skatepark named in honor of a 14-year-old York City boy who died in 2006.
Since 2008, the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark has offered skateboard enthusiasts a safe place to practice their sport – a facility the York Catholic High School eighth-grader had wanted for his hometown but never got to see.
On Jan. 22, 2006, Reid was riding his homemade street luge when he was struck by a car at the intersection of Arlington Street and Merion Road.
His friends, fellow skaters and family decided to build a skate park in his honor. He’d often told his father, Eric Menzer, that York should have a skate park, a place where people could learn, practice and excel at their sport.
The city donated property; numerous others donated time, services and money to build the park at 941 Vander Ave.
The latest fundraising campaign, dubbed “360 – Finish What We Started,” aims to raise $500,000 to add lights, improve skater amenities and expand the park. The campaign will also create a permanent maintenance endowment.
“The park gives skateboarders a place to skate away from busy streets, and it is constantly being used. It’s important for the safety of the skaters in our community that we finish what we started by completing this campaign and providing these final, needed amenities,” said campaign chairman Bill Shipley, according to a news release.
Already, campaign organizers have raised $260,000, the release says.
The expansion project will add 7,125 feet to the existing park.
New elements will be created from salvaged industrial objects. New lighting will extend the hours the park is open to skaters.
A committee of fundraisers will kick off the campaign from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at The Parliament, 116 E. King St. The kickoff will include an exhibit and auction of skateboards painted by more than 50 local artists.
By KATHY STEVENS The York Dispatch
Sunday truly was bittersweet for Eric Menzer.
Sweet because a two-year-long project was complete. Bitter because his son was not among hundreds of skateboarders who broke in the Reid Menzer Memorial SkatePark.
Before the ribbon was cut and the top-of-the-line concrete outdoor park was officially opened, Eric Menzer said he and his wife, Kendell, and daughter Frances would rather not be there, meaning he wished Reid was there and that the park was not a memorial.
He asked the crowd — the kids, teens, adults — to share in a moment of silence in recognition of Reid, who died Jan. 22, 2006. The 14-year-old eighth-grader at York Catholic High School was riding a street luge, which is similar to a skateboard but longer, when he was struck by a car at the intersection of Arlington Street and Merion Road. Continue reading
It will memorialize Reid Menzer, who died in 2006 while street lugeing.
By Mike Argento
Groundbreaking for the Reid Menzer Memorial Skate Park will be June 2 during what has been billed as the largest skateboarding event York has ever seen. The event, at the skate park site in York’s Memorial Park, is also intended to raise money to help pay for construction of the 23,000-square-foot park.
So far, organizers have raised almost $245,000 toward the $334,000 cost of the park. “It’s pretty thrilling, obviously,” said Eric Menzer, Reid’s father and a vice president with Wagman Construction. “There’s a lot more work to do, but we’re clearly at the point where we’ll be able to make it happen. Continue reading
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