Tony Hawk visits Detroit for grand reopening of Chandler Park Skatepark

DETROIT – Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk stopped in Detroit this weekend to celebrate the grand reopening of the Chandler Park Skatepark on the city’s east side.

Hawk’s organization The Skatepark Project teamed up with a number of organizations and sponsors to make the skatepark a reality for Metro Detroit skaters young and old. The professional skateboarder has helped create more than 700 skateparks across the country, but Detroit holds a special place in Hawk’s heart.

Hawk says his wife is from Detroit, so he has family ties and an emotional connection to the city. Outside of those ties, though, Hawk believes that Detroit’s skate scene is unlike any other.

“I feel like anyone that goes to Detroit to go skate, especially the pros, they feel the energy there and they want to keep coming back,” Hawk told Local 4 reporter Victor Williams last year.

The skatepark at Chandler Park officially opened last year -- and that’s when our Victor Williams first caught the attention of the 10-time X Games gold medalist.

In October 2021, Hawk saw a clip of Williams at Chandler Skatepark, skating while reporting live on TV. Hawk shared the clip on his Instagram page, writing, “Breaking news: reporter shreds.” The pair then came together for a one-on-one interview where they talked all things skating and Detroit.

Hawk and Williams reconnected on Sunday in Detroit, when dozens of skaters came out enjoy the reopened skatepark.

During his visit to Chandler Skatepark, Hawk said he thinks skateboarding is still thriving here in Southeast Michigan.

“I think that this is an example to go by for other cities, when they see that we’re providing all these different parks in different areas of the city, and they’re all getting used,” Hawk told Local 4. “Sun up to sun down, the place is always crowded.”

Other well-known skateboarders were at the Detroit park Sunday, including Jim Thiebaud, Neftalie Williams and Detroit’s own Mr. Premium.