Concrete Dreams: Traverse City’s Skatepark & Building Community

This story was originally published in the Traverse City Record-Eagle

A simple life hack to learn all sorts of cool things?

Always stop, no matter where you are, to read the plaque.

For those who haven’t stopped to read it, there’s a special plaque dedicated to Michael Dendrinos at our Civic Center that reads in part:

“The development of these facilities was inspired by Mike’s wish that the youth of our area should have suitable grounds on which to play and grow.”

This commemoration concerns “Mike’s Fields,” — the ball fields.

It also fits the Civic Center’s skatepark — one of our community gems that has positively influenced the lives of many Traverse City kids.

I don’t have any data to back this up, but I believe Traverse City’s pound-for-pound king of free and public recreational infrastructure is our skatepark.

By that, I mean that our skatepark gets more year-round use per square foot than our free and public basketball, beach volleyball, and tennis courts.

More per square foot than our free and public soccer, softball, or baseball fields.

More per square foot than our free and public playgrounds and disc golf courses.

And yes, even more per square foot than our free and public recreational trail system.

Don’t believe me?

Walk over to the Civic Center anytime, from dawn to dusk, when school is out after the last snow melts and before the first snow arrives — kids everywhere. And a few adults, too.

Adults like my friend Yarro.

Yarro is a 40-something dad with a passion for skating that rivals teenagers a third of his age. He moved to Traverse City in 2010, and ever since, he’s been a fixture at the skatepark, a place he calls his second home. With his son Makaio by his side, he glides across the ramps and transitions, finding solace and calm in every turn and trick.

But Yarro isn’t just a skater; he’s also a guardian at the park. He interacts with the kids, picks up trash, and sweeps up the pine needles, acorns, and leaves from the nearby mighty oaks and pines — a labor of love to keep the skatepark pristine.

Yarro’s dedication is a testament to the tight-knit community the skatepark has fostered since its construction in 2001.

Fun fact: a young skater, Sean Kelly, then 18 and the class president at Traverse City Central, was instrumental in helping build the skatepark.

The skatepark’s supportive community provides a forum for kids from all backgrounds to meet outside, off the couch, off the screen, and be creative together.

Skateboarding is more than a sport; it’s a lifestyle, a school of independence and resilience. When kids tumble and fall, they rise and try again. And again. And again — learning the art of perseverance.

Our skatepark isn’t just a place to land tricks; it’s a haven for growth, an arena where dreams take flight. For many skateboarding youth, like Yarro, the skatepark is also a home away from home.

“Everybody needs a place where they feel accepted, and our skatepark is that place for many of our kids,” said John Chase, Grand Traverse County’s Director of Parks and Recreation.

And like any cherished community gem, our skatepark needs continued support. It’s now 22 years old, still vibrant and well-maintained, but bursting at the seams with its popularity.

The good news?

The Civic Center’s master plan, approved in 2020, has set the stage for an expansion, a plaza-style addition just south of the current skatepark.

With its incredible use and pound-for-pound king status, this is not just a want — it’s a need.

Imagine a bigger, better skatepark where our youth, no matter their ability or experience, as it says on Michael’s plaque, “have suitable grounds on which to play and grow.”

A couple of weeks ago, Grand Traverse County announced being awarded a $1M grant to reconstruct the Civic Center’s walking track. This is excellent and much needed.

But let’s leverage this funding into an opportunity to turn the skatepark expansion dreams of the new Civic Center master plan into a beautiful, concrete (pun intended) reality.

It’s time to roll up our sleeves again with older skaters like Yarro and young skaters like Sean to honor our skatepark’s grassroots, community-led legacy and carve a path for more happy, healthy outside kids. They deserve it.

Maybe we could even install a new plaque next to Mike’s to celebrate?

I’m in to help.

Are you?