Treasure Coast Sun

The City of Port St. Lucie has rescheduled the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the refurbished Skate City due to bad weather. The event will now take place on Wednesday, January 29 at 5 p.m.

Skate City, situated in Whispering Pines Park at 800 SW Darwin Blvd., was closed to skateboarding in 2010. Recently, a renewed interest from local roller and inline skaters prompted efforts to revitalize the area.

The renovated Skate City is designed for outdoor roller and inline skating and marks the city's first outdoor public skating rink. The city expressed gratitude to residents and community members, particularly those from the St. Lucie Skaters group, who collaborated with the Parks and Recreation Department to realize this project.

Originally built in 1999 as a skateboard facility with ramps and half-pipes, Skate City's features deteriorated over time, leading to its closure in 2010 due to repair costs. Last year, community members began using the space for roller and inline skating and requested that lights be turned on. Mayor Shannon Martin supported resurfacing efforts after noticing their interest.

“This project is a wonderful example of how residents and the City can work together to create opportunities that benefit the community,” Mayor Martin said. “We are excited to see Skate City once again be a place for people to gather, to have fun with friends and family, and to enjoy the quality of life Port St. Lucie has to offer.”

The Parks and Recreation Department has resurfaced approximately 39,000 square feet of the area for improved skating experiences. The facility is open daily from 8 a.m. until 9:30 p.m., when lights are turned off.

Admission is free, and reservations are no longer accepted for Skate City's use.

Both the public and press are invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Additionally, there will be a Valentine's Day Skate Party on February 14 from 4-7 p.m., launching the Love Your Block program. The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University selected Port St. Lucie for Love Your Block grants aimed at neighborhood revitalization projects in Whispering Pines.