Skaters for Moore, a nonprofit organization, alongside the Town of Southern Pines, will be celebrating the grand opening of the Elaine T. Baillie Skatepark at Memorial Park, 150 Memorial Park Ct., Saturday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Activities will include an open skate jam for all ages; a skateboard demonstration from N.C. based skate teams including N2Flow Skateboards, PLSR PLS Skateboards, and Pocket Bolts; live DJs; a pizza party sponsored by Carolina Barbell, Pocket Bolts, and Create Studio; a best trick contest; and more. The celebration will also be a fundraiser to help Southern Pines fund lighting for the park, increase safety for the area and extend the hours of operation for action sports enthusiasts.
The event caps off a multiple year effort by Skaters for Moore, the Town of Southern Pines, and Friends of the Skateparks Foundation to raise funds for and build a public skatepark in Moore County, with the ribbon cutting in mid-December, 2024.
“Since then, the skatepark has quickly become the most used parks and recreation facility in Southern Pines, and perhaps the county, with dozens of skateboarders, scooter riders, roller skaters, and BMX riders using it daily,” said Skaters for Moore in a press release.”
Skaters for Moore spent three years prior to the opening raising funds via corporate sponsors, a grant from the local Convention & Visitors bureau, and philanthropists such as Elaine T. Baillie, for whom the park is named. This was a grassroots effort by many volunteers to provide a fun, safe and free public park for young and old enthusiasts to hone their skills.
For more information on this event and their future charitable missions, visit Skaters for Moore on Instagram and Facebook or at www.SkatersforMoore.org.
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Contributed article and photo.
