At noon on Thursday, July 20, Mayor Ron Kim, Commissioner Jason Golub and Commissioner MInita Sanghvi attended a ribbon cutting in East Side Rec along with Saratoga Springs Recreation Director John Hirliman and Assistant Administrative Director of Recreation Lisa Morahan. Some background from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce:
Built in 1989, the East Side Recreation (Rec) skatepark is the oldest municipal skatepark in New York State. In conjunction with Jah Skate Shop, which was located at 8 Caroline Street from 1988 until 1993, the skatepark used to host many team demos, spawned a few professional skaters, and in the mid-90’s was an official stop for Vans Warped Tour skate contest qualifications. The skatepark is a highly respected piece of East Coast skate history, and its popularity has grown along with the popularity of skateboarding and other wheeled sports. As its use grew, the skatepark was due for a contemporary upgrade, and now a modern, poured-in-place concrete park has replaced the metal ramps that have been there for 20 years. The City of Saratoga Springs, NY has proudly partnered with Pillar Skateparks to design the new park, in conjunction with feedback from the local skate community.