Skaters Flock to New Canopy Yard at South Haymarket Park
Excitement buzzed through the air as skaters descended upon South Haymarket Park for the soft opening of Canopy Yard, a nearly 10-acre addition featuring the largest skate park in the state. This much-anticipated facility, covering 25,000 square feet, is a key component of the broader development project in the area, which will also include a dog park, playground, and interactive water feature slated for completion by the end of 2026.
Open from sunset to sunrise every day, except during ongoing construction, the park aims to provide accessible skating opportunities while ensuring safety. According to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, the soft launch serves to offer early access to this “incredible amenity” amid the active construction zone. The mayor anticipates the skate park will draw skaters not just locally but from across the region.
“The Canopy Yard skate park represents the kind of thoughtful, active public space that drives the growth of our community members, economic opportunity, quality of life and just plain fun,” Gaylor Baird explained.
Designed by Spohn Ranch of California, the park boasts various features including quarter pipes, transitions, a clover bowl, and a full plaza complete with rails. Phil Burcher, president of the Lincoln Skatepark Association, highlighted the park’s significance, noting its potential to transform local perceptions of skateboarding. “We’ve got two neighborhood parks that have been small and not anything like what the city really needs, and now we’re getting this regional skate park, which is the biggest skate park between Denver and Des Moines,” Burcher remarked.
The Lincoln Skatepark Association has been instrumental in this development, raising $30,000 through community contributions to support the park.
