While the news of Sunday Skateshop’s closing sent shockwaves through the community, the business has left a lasting skate legacy in Buffalo. Not only did Sunday get behind the monumental effort of opening the first two phases of the LaSalle Park Skate Plaza, it has just been announced that the third phase of the skate plaza has been approved and will commence, thanks to a grant from the Tony Hawk, and Ralph C. Wilson Foundations.

This is incredible news for LaSalle Park (Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park). The skate plaza has been a terrific success story since it was initially designed, and built half a dozen years ago. Phase II of the skate plaza got underway in 2015 (see here), and now The City is saying that it will get to work on the design, and the construction contracts for Phase III (a transition park), with an anticipated opening in 2020, according to Sunday Skate.

I remember, back in the day, there was such a groundswell of support for the skate plaza, before The City ever signed off on it to be designed and built. After Phase I got off the ground, there was a big question mark as to whether any of the other phases would receive funding. Then the second phase got funded, which was heartening. And now we are witnessing the fulfillment of the dream… the trifecta… the third phase getting underway.

This is another great day in Buffalo for the skate community.