Grand Opening for Lake Fairfax Skate Park

There was the grinding of wheels and shouts from happy skateboarders as the Lake Fairfax Park Skate Park officially opened for business on Saturday.

The 15,235-square-foot park has been several years in the making, but Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said the seeds were planted when her own children, now grown, were teens and built a ramp on the neighbor's fence.

"This is something that provides people with an opportunity to get engaged in an activity and do it in a positive way," Hudgins said at the noon ribbon cutting. "I am really excited."

The skate park, owned by the Fairfax County Park Authority and paid for by $1 million in park bonds, was designed by Spohn Ranch of California, with input from the community. It features elements skaters would find in public spaces, such as benches, curbs, rail and ramps, as well as a bowl. There are two covered pavilion areas.

Skaters of all ages and levels were testing out the new facility Saturday. Hudson Day, 7, of Great Falls, says he has been skating for two years  - but mainly in Ocean City and at Herndon's skate park. He said he will skate at Lake Fairfax now because it is closer.

Seth Levy, 25, of Step Up and Skate , said Lake Fairfax will be a good spot for beginner and intermediate skaters.

"It is a good place to learn, and to take it to the next level," he said of the new park. "There are a lot more skaters than parks that can handle them, so this is a great start."

Lake Fairfax is the second county skate park. The other is Wakefield Skate Park in Annandale.

The skate park has the same hours at Lake Fairfax Park (dawn to dusk). Admission is free. Skating is unsupervised, but there is first aid available in the park office.