On the evening of Friday, April 28, the City of Hawthorne hosted its first ever Skates in the Park event. During the event, Impala Skates Company donated $50,000 worth of skates (approximately 500 pairs of skates), which were given out to Hawthorne community members. The event took place at Memorial Park and was co-hosted by the Hawthorne Police Department, who distributed free popcorn and donated $2,000 to purchase helmets for participants.
Once attendees received their free pair of skates, they were able to test out their new wheels on an outdoor skating rink set up by the City’s Parks Maintenance department. The City’s Public Works department also pitched in, providing additional lighting and porta-potties for the event.
“It was amazing to see community members skating alongside their loved ones, enjoying music together and making new friends at Skate in the Park,” said City Manager Vontray Norris. “Putting on this event was truly a community effort—thank you to our Hawthorne Community Services staff, the Hawthorne Police Department, Impala Skates and everyone else that made this awesome night possible.”
Skates in the Park was attended by well over 350 community members and the City of Hawthorne gave out nearly 400 pairs of skates. And, if people were still hungry after snacking on the free popcorn, the park also hosted two food trucks where the community could grab dinner.
Learn more about Hawthorne’s upcoming events on the City’s Community Services webpage.