Downtown Skatepark In the Works

Jacob Gauthier

July 13, 2026

The SkateWS Foundation wants to bring a skatepark to downtown Winston-Salem — and it won’t cost taxpayers a dime.

July 13, 2026

Rendering of HiWatt Skatepark — Rendering courtesy of the SkateWS Foundation

What To Expect

HiWatt Skatepark would be a public, multi-use park occupying a narrow strip of land between Spruce and Marshall, running from 7th to 8th Streets. The design includes a skate plaza, pump track, playground, and walking path.

Who It’s For: HiWatt would be for everyone, not just skaters. Features like the playground and walking trail make the park useful beyond skating.
Behind the Name: “HiWatt” is a nod to the site’s neighbors: a Duke Energy substation and the upcoming amphitheater project, which will bring new energy downtown.
Special Features: The skate plaza would recreate some of Winston-Salem’s best-known street skate spots — think urban obstacles like railings, ledges, and stairs.

The Backstory

HiWatt is the brainchild of the SkateWS Foundation, led by Jerry Cooper (co-owner of Salem Skate Supply) and Bryan Ledbetter (founder of Airtype). Ledbetter has been pushing for a proper home for Winston-Salem’s skate scene for more than a decade.

While the Fairgrounds has a skatepark, its design doesn’t cater to local skaters. “We are aiming to build something that is geared towards what the skate community wants, functionally and aesthetically, rather than having a company truck in cookie-cutter prefabricated obstacles,” Cooper said.

The skatepark project gained momentum when the Winston-Salem City Council unanimously voted to include a skatepark in the 2023 Downtown Winston-Salem Plan, though that didn’t guarantee funding.

The Logistics

The proposed site checks a lot of boxes: high visibility, easy access, and proximity to the forthcoming amphitheater. The northern section of the site is city-owned and would be leased to the SkateWS Foundation, while the southern part of the site (where the playground would be located) is owned by Duke Energy. The SkateWS Foundation would partner with them to develop the land.

HiWatt would be funded entirely through corporate sponsorships and private donors, with an estimated cost of $500K to $1.5M. The SkateWS Foundation originally planned to build the skatepark with city funding or a bond referendum, but to expedite the process, they decided to pursue the private route instead.

Next Step: A formal lease agreement for the land heads to City Council in August 2026. Once approved, fundraising can officially kick into gear.

Why It Matters

HiWatt’s core mission is to reach Winston-Salem’s underserved youth by creating a dedicated space for them without entry fees or memberships. It would also function as a safe, public alternative that could address our city’s recent youth violence and “teen takeovers.”

HiWatt would also serve as another public gathering space for the community at large. “People need activities, kids need things to do, everybody needs things to do,” Cooper said. “That’s why we also included walking trails and the kids’ playground.”