Whitefish Community Foundation awards grant to aid in skatepark expansion

Whitefish Community Foundation awarded a $20,000 Major Community Project Grant to support the expansion of the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark in Whitefish to include terrain for beginner and novice skateboarders and help disperse the growing number of park users.

The Major Community Project Grant program is dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations complete capital projects that will have a significant and positive effect on communities in the Flathead Valley. The program was formed in 2010 and has awarded $734,000 to projects identified and selected by the foundation’s board of directors.

Whitefish Skatepark Association is a nonprofit organization created in 2022 by a group of local skateboarding enthusiasts who saw the need to expand the existing park for safety purposes. The organization has received permission from the city of Whitefish to expand the park by 7,000 square feet and build a beginner area and street plaza. The addition of the new areas will relieve congestion in the advanced areas and help promote safe usage of the park.

“The skatepark is a beloved community resource that is free for all ages, and Whitefish Community Foundation is happy to contribute to this important project,” Whitefish President/CEO Alan Davis said. “We are thankful to our Circle of Giving donors who make grants like this possible.”

To complete the expansion project, Whitefish Skatepark Association needs to raise $360,000. To date, the organization has raised $335,000 and hopes to conclude fundraising prior to breaking ground in June.

To make a donation to the project, visit whitefishcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list or call (406) 863-1781. For more information about Whitefish Community Foundation, visit whitefishcommunityfoundation.org.