Status Update March 2024

Colin at TDPRD MOU in February 2024

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.

TTAD (Tahoe Truckee Airport District) Agency Grant

In August 2023, RMSP applied to the TTAD (Tahoe Truckee Airport District) Agency Grant, with support from TDRPD as our ‘public agency’. We’ve asked for $250,000. Our full submittal is available. If you’ve never seen a grant proposal before, this is a decent example. If you know individuals on the Airport Board … please express your support of RMSP to them! Stay tuned and we will let you know if we receive their funding.

ENKC Foundation Donates $5,000 to RMSP

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.

Thank You to the Martis Camp Foundation!

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!

Rocker Memorial Skatepark Nears Reality

Oct 15, 2022 | Justin Scacco | Sierra Sun

TRUCKEE, Calif. — For roughly a decade, plans have been in place to build a new skatepark in Truckee.

After years of work, fund raising, town council and planning commission meetings, the Rocker Memorial Skatepark is nearing a point where ground can be broke.

“We are building it for the next several generations,” said Colin Robinson, director of the Rocker Memorial Skatepark, on the planned 25,000-square foot expansion of the existing Truckee Skatepark.

Organizers for the park recently held two of their biggest annual fundraising events, bringing in more than $20,000 toward construction costs.

The annual Truckee Hoedown skate contest was held on Sept. 24, and attracted more than 60 participants from ages 8 to 60. The event raised $1,500.

On Oct. 4, the annual Golf for Skate contest was held at Tahoe Mountain Club’s Grays Crossing and brought in roughly 135 golfers, raising more than $18,000.

Additionally, the Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District, at its July board meeting, granted $50,000 to further support the project.

In total, roughly $350,000 has been raised toward building the Rocker Memorial Skatepark. The park is to be built on the corner of Estates Drive and Brockway Road, adjacent to Truckee’s existing skatepark, and is on land granted by the Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District.

“We’ve done the hard work,” said Robinson. “All we have to do is raise the money and then we can build it … it’ll be a generational asset to Truckee.”

The roughly 7,000-square foot skatepark that’s currently in Truckee was built in 1999 and, according to Robinson, is lacking in many areas, specifically for beginners and experts. Robinson said an absence of terrain is an issue, and that the park has become increasingly dangerous due to growing crowds.

“In ski resort terms, it’s a single blue run with no green or black areas available,” said Robinson in an email to the Sun.

Plans are now underway to build a state-of-the-art, 25,000-square foot expansion to the skate park. The park is named after memory of Steve “Rocker” Anderson, an avid skateboarder and snowboarder, who died in an avalanche on Donner Summit Dec. 24, 2012. Post build, the park will support avalanche education workshops and families of victims of avalanche incidents.

Though now fully approved by the town, Robinson said the permitting process has been one of the biggest hurdles in getting the skatepark built and has taken roughly five years at a cost of more than $160,000.

“That’s all money that was raised organically in town through these events,” said Robinson. “It’s an extremely expensive process.”

On June, 21, the skatepark was approved the Town of Truckee Planning Commission.

Cost to build the park still remains the final bridge to cross before work can begin. Labor and material for the project are estimated to be between $1.5 million and $2 million. If fundraising goes well during the next several months, Robinson said he hopes construction at the park could start as soon as next August.

“It’s just a matter of getting over the hump to where we can get into a contract,” he said. “We have the land. We have the permits. We’ve secured the long term-facility maintenance. All we have left to do is raise the funds to build the park. Together we can do it.”

Tax Deductible donations can be made through Give Back Tahoe at http://www.givebacktahoe.org/donate/Rockerskatepark or via rockermemorialskatepark.org.

The park has also partnered with Woodward Tahoe and Boreal Mountain Resort to hold a Halloween-themed event called Dead Man’s Jam on Oct. 29. Woodward Tahoe will host the fifth annual competition, which features skating, scooters, and bicycles. Pre-registration for the event costs $10 or can be done at the door with a Halloween costume for the same price. Cost at the door without a costume is $15. To register, visit woodwardtahoe.com.