ABOUT ROC CITY SKATEPARK:
Phase 2 of the ROC City Skatepark is currently in design
development, and will include an expanded skate area, event space, and a
restroom building. Check back here for updates and information about upcoming public meetings!
To learn more about the ROC City Skatepark and future programming
at this site, contact the City’s Director of Recreation & Parks
Stewardship, Sara Scott. Sara.Scott@cityofrochester.gov
To learn more about the current design efforts, contact the City’s
Design Project Manager, Ellen Micoli Soffa, R.L.A. Ellen.Soffa@cityofrochester.gov.
To learn more about the Friends of Roc City Skatepark, email the
Friends of Roc City Skatepark: roccitypark@gmail.com or check out
their website at: www.roccitypark.org.
The Next Phase
In January 2023, Mayor Malik D. Evans announced Rochester received
a $3 million grant from the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) to advance
the skatepark project through full buildout of the 2019 Master Plan, which will
include an additional 11,200 square feet of skate area, restrooms, event space,
and associated site improvements. The project is part of the larger ROC the Riverway Initiative.
Build It And They Will Come
The concept of building a public skatepark for the benefit of the Rochester community was first introduced to City officials in 2008 by the ROC City Skatepark Coalition. This vision became a reality twelve years later on November 5, 2020 through a collaborative effort of City officials, community members and several generous donors.
The Roc City Skatepark was created as a location that would bring a new vitality and sense of energy to the Downtown Rochester. The Skatepark is a welcoming space where skateboarders, rollerbladers, BMXers and other progression-oriented sports enthusiasts come to embody the sport, sharpen their skills and enjoy endless hours of outdoor recreation.
The Roc City Skatepark is one of several ROC the Riverway projects designed to highlight the Genesee River as the centerpiece of Rochester by creating activities and attractions along both banks of this centralized waterway. The Skatepark is located along the Genesee Riverway Trail under the Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Bridge and utilizes land that would have otherwise been unbuildable. This $3.1 million project boasts mini-ramps and ledges, stairs and handrails, competition bowls and a main skate promenade, along with open space that provides opportunities for public art installations and performances.
The Roc City Skatepark was made possible by generous funders including Roc the Riverway funding from New York State, an Upstate Revitalization Grant from the New York State Department of Transportation; Commercial Corridor and Main Street Revitalization economic development grants through RG&E; Built to Play and Environmental Impact Grants from The Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation); and generous contributions from The Sands Family Foundation and the Friends of the ROC City Skatepark.
Thank you to Friends of Roc City Skatepark and Boris Sapohznikov for this video footage.