At the TDRPD board meeting on March 28, 2024, we were honored by a donation from Tahoe Mountain Resorts Foundation to be attributed towards construction. They presented us with a ‘big check’ and Rocker supporters were there to celebrate! RMSP also moved $100,000 from our CharitySmith fund into TDRPD (this money was raised by our amazing community over the last ten years). This is a $200,000 leap towards beginning breaking ground soon! We’re in the final fundraising push for construction costs.
We’ve been working hard behind-the-scenes to try and get the conditions of approval from the town of Truckee signed off on by all involved parties which requires coordination of no less than three public agencies to allow us to get the building permits.
During this process, it came to light that there was no formal agreement between RMSP and the park district that specifies responsibilities, maintenance & ownership of the park long-term. Working with the Park District general manager, Sven Leff, we were able to create a MOU, which stands for memorandum of understanding, that clearly outlines the goals and roles/responsibilities. We signed this document with support of the TDRPD board at the February 22, 2024 board meeting. A key element of this agreement is that it defines the threshold at which we can start building Rocker Memorial Skatepark. There is also a specific account set up with the Park District for donations to go into that is designated for skate park use only.
We’re excited to announce that Tahoe Mountain Realty foundation has donated One Hundred Thousand dollars ($100,000!!!) which will be deposited into the Park District account for RMSP. we can’t thank TMRF enough for their support, we believe this is a foundational step towards raising the funds required for Construction. Their ‘Big Check’ will be presented to TDRPD on March 28th at 6pm at the Rec Center. If you have the ability, please come out to support.
Regarding the full construction costs, it’s important to keep in mind that this is a very large project that includes not only the skate park area, but also all of the civil improvements such as sidewalk, curb and gutter, landscaping, and a 28 space parking lot situated next to a wetlands area. We are in the process of bidding out all of the different elements that go into this entire project and total cost estimates range between 1.7 and $2.1 million for the total project cost. we can start building once we’ve reached 70% of anticipated project costs whether in cash or confirmed in material donations.
In that respect we still have a long way to go, however, with donations of in-kind materials, we can bring that total project cost down and get closer and closer to the threshold for when we can break ground with each donation that we receive. Help is needed finding donors, researching/applying for grants and community out reach. Can you help us reach out to donors and find grants? Please reach out all of our contact info is below.
Published February 13, 2024 in the Sierra Sun
TRUCKEE, Calif. – Rubicon Pizza Co., located in the Village at Northstar, recently awarded a check for $20,000 to the Rocker Memorial Skate Park.
“Rubicon is proud to support our community through frequent fundraising events,” said Ray Villaman, owner and CEO of Rubicon Pizza Company. “We are thrilled to have had the success we did during this year’s fundraising efforts. We are excited to assist with a community project that will be a safe and fun place for people to gather. It is because of Rubicon’s management, employees, Rocker Skatepark volunteers, our partner companies, and many individuals who supported that we were able to make the contribution,” he added. “I am particularly proud of our GM, Mike Phillips, for orchestrating this year’s fundraising efforts.”
Rubicon donated $20,000 for the calendar year 2023. According to Villaman, the $20,000 sum is one of the most successful fundraising efforts for Rubicon since it was established in 2007.
“The donation from Rubicon to Rocker Memorial Skatepark is a catalyst for significant forward movement in our goal to build a generational asset for North Lake Tahoe. Thank you to all of Rubicon’s staff for their support through one of the biggest winters ever in Tahoe, with Northstar reporting over 640″ of snow! Special thanks to owner Ray Villaman and manager Mike Philips for their commitment to local fundraising, from hosting pizza slice sales in the Village all winter long (sometimes in blizzard conditions), to a fully staffed fundraising dinner. Your support has been critical in helping to raise funds for construction, and has also provided an incredible opportunity to educate the public on what we are building. Thank you, Rubicon Pizza Co!” said Colin Robinson, Director of Rocker Memorial Skatepark.
The Rocker Memorial Skatepark’s goal is to construct a new, state-of-the-art, 25,000 sq. ft. expansion to complement the current skatepark in Truckee. Skateparks are a vibrant, creative part of sustainably healthy communities. As a gathering place for dedicated, athletic youth, the RMSP will expand the forum for visitors young and old, beginning and skilled, to meet and share experiences. For many skateboarding youth, the skatepark becomes a home-away-from-home.
Rubicon Pizza has always been known for giving back to the Truckee community and has awarded over $150,000 to local non-profits over the past decade. One of Rubicon’s biggest ways of giving back is by sponsoring a local non-profit organization for the year, which is voted on and chosen annually by the staff. This past year the team rallied to support the Rocker Memorial Skatepark.
Throughout the year, Rubicon and the chosen non-profit partner up to sell pizza slices at an outdoor pizza cart during busy times in the village. Rubicon also encourages guests to donate extra cash on their bills to the non-profit and at the end of the year, throws a Fall Fundraising Feast where guests are invited to have a night full of fun with live music, a raffle, and an all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta and salad buffet. Rubicon’s staff volunteers their time for the night, and all proceeds are donated back to the non-profit.
Rubicon’s General Manager, Mike Phillips, sums up the event, “It’s very rewarding to be afforded the opportunity to give back to our community. The stewardship displayed by Rocker Memorial Skatepark and other local non-profits make Truckee a special place to live.”
For more information or to make a donation to help The Rocker Memorial Skatepark realize its goals
A huge thank you to the Ian Casey Foundation (ENKC) who donated $5,000 to Rocker Memorial Skatepark to support our efforts build modern, multi-level expansion skatepark built in the Truckee Regional Park where youth can gather to make friends and improve their board skills.
RMSP paid a visit to Truckee High School to check out the skateboard build process. What an incredible program they have over there. All students build and shape a skateboard in Gone Boarding 1, and in Gone Boarding 2 they get the choice of what to build.
We saw skis, snowboards, and surfboards all in production. Every aspect of the manufacturing process for board sports are covered in the class (CNC, Laser Engraving, Gluing, Pressing, Glassing, Edging), and students leave the class with a functional piece of hand-made awesome. Teacher Mike Bensley does an excellent job motivating students to make something great.
A huge shoutout and thank you to the Martis Camp Foundation who donated $30K toward Rocker Memorial Skatepark. We are so thrilled that so many community members see the value of this incredible expansion of our current skatepark. Not only will the new park add beginner-friendly terrain but it will also add more advanced features so your extremely board-talented populace can continue to grow and excel. We are so grateful to the residents of Martis Camp, who after extensive grant writing and interview, chose the Rocker Memorial Skate Park as one of their 2022 beneficiaries. Thank you, Martis Camp Foundation!
