Greenwood Lake pivots from skatepark to pump track

The Village of Greenwood Lake is planning to build an 8,000-square-foot asphalt pump track in the Village of Greenwood Lake designed for skateboarders, bikers, and scooter enthusiasts of all ages, young and old.

The village entered into an agreement with Artisan Skatepark for the production of the park. Clearing and preparation of the area will commence in November, and construction will begin next spring.

From skatepark to pump track

The move is a pivot for the village, which had intended to build a skatepark in memory of Dale Hirrel. The Greenwood Lake Skate Park project began shortly after his passing ten years ago, born from a dedicated mission to keep Dale’s memory alive while providing local youth with a physical space to build their own lasting memories.

As building costs dramatically rose over the years, the fundraising timeline extended far beyond what was initially anticipated. During this prolonged period, a single-donor-funded skatepark was unexpectedly constructed in the Village of Warwick on a much quicker timeline and with a budget more than double what the Greenwood Lake community was able to raise. Faced with this reality, the organization in consultation with the Hirrel family made a deliberate choice: rather than building a conventional, 2000-square-foot skatepark that would feel inferior to the newly built facility in Warwick, the team resolved to maximize the community’s generous donations.

The pump track is designed to accommodate advanced skateboarders, to absolute beginners and young children, making this park much more accessible to a larger audience than a conventional skatepark.

Volunteers sustained project from the beginning

Since its inception, Greenwood Lake Skate Park project has been sustained entirely by volunteers—largely a small, resilient group of five to eight individuals whose faces have changed over the years. Juggling their own lives, responsibilities, and personal challenges, these community members gave selflessly of their time.

Though many of these volunteers never had the opportunity to meet Dale personally, they worked tirelessly for a decade. They manned booths at local events, manufactured and sold merchandise, navigated complicated grant applications, organized art sales, 5K runs, golf outings, movie nights and commemorative concerts at the beach—all driven by a shared devotion to honor a young man they came to hold dear.

“We believe that if Dale were still with us today, he would love having the options of both a world-class skatepark and a world-class pump track within a 15-mile radius to enjoy,” organizers said.

Whether it is a pump track or a skate park, the essential purpose remains unchanged: to celebrate and remember Dale Hirrel. The organization has shared the plans for the park with Dale’s family and are collaborating with them to determine the best way to physically commemorate him at the site, ensuring that his spirit is imbued into the park for generations to come. Final design images and official naming of the park will be announced shortly.

Organizers ask the public to seek information from offical through official channels (indicated below) rather than relying on unvalidated information from social media. Tom Howley (Mayor, Village of Greenwood Lake) – mayor@VillageofGreenwoodLake.org; Euvin Weeber (Board Trustee, GWL Skatepark Corp.) – grants@gwlskatepark.com; Jonathan Sismey (Sponsorship Director, GWL Skatepark) – jonathan@gwlskatepark.com; Jesse Dwyer (Warwick Town Supervisor) – supervisor@townofwarwick.org.