Corte Madera’s Town Park skate park is getting a complete renovation, thanks to the Scotty Lapp Foundation. The Scotty Lapp Foundation (SLF) honors the memory of Scotty Lapp, a former Redwood student and competitive skier who passed away in 2022. The renovation aims to create a more inclusive space for skaters of all levels while honoring Scotty’s passion for the sport and his dream of improving local skateparks. Construction on the skatepark began in August and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. 

Scotty Lapp first brought the issue of inaccessible skateparks to his mother, Amy Lapp’s attention in 2021.

“Scotty [Lapp] approached me in the fall of 2021 and mentioned that there was no skatepark near his high school,” Amy Lapp said. “He and his friends didn’t have licenses, so they had to take the bus over an hour to reach the nearest skatepark.”

Scotty asked his mom to help him and his friends with research, organization and petitions for a new skatepark.

 “I told [Scotty] to get through the ski season, and in the spring, we’d start working on [the skatepark],” Amy Lapp said.

However, before Scotty could see the project through, he tragically passed away in Feb. 2022 in a skiing accident.

“Minutes after he passed, I looked at Jason, my husband and Ryan, Scotty’s brother, and said, ‘We’re building a skatepark,’” Amy Lapp said. 

After deciding to build a skatepark, the idea of renovating the Corte Madera Skatepark soon followed.

“One of our board members reminded me that the first park Scotty ever skated in was at the Town Park in Corte Madera, and it just felt like the right place to honor him in the town that he spent so much of his life in,” Amy Lapp said.

Since then, the SLF has raised a significant portion of the funds needed for the renovation and partnered with California Skateparks, the design team behind skateparks for the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. The new park will feature improved ramps and transitions to accommodate skaters of all levels.

“The old skatepark was outdated and not suitable for all levels of skaters,” Amy said. “[The SLF’s] goal is to transform this skatepark into a place where everyone feels comfortable and welcome.”

Matt Holmstrom, a senior and one of Scotty’s closest friends, serves as a Junior Ambassador for the Scotty Lapp Foundation.

“Working on this project means a lot to me,” Holmstrom said. “Scotty was a great friend who always wanted to positively impact our community.”

Holmstrom noted that the skatepark is much more than just a construction project. 

“It will bring people together,” Holmstrom said. “This park will honor Scotty’s memory and create a space that reflects his values while supporting the community he cherished.”

Eme Atherton, a junior Ambassador for the Scotty Lapp Foundation former Redwood student and a longtime friend of Scotty, highlighted how meaningful the skatepark project is. 

“Scotty and I have been friends since kindergarten, so being involved is special to me. It’s a great way to remember a great person and bring the community together,” Atherton said.

Amy emphasizes that the SLP continues to raise the remaining funds needed to complete the memorial project and is turning to the community to achieve its goals.

 “We are privately funding this free public park, and we need local businesses and families to help invest,” Amy Lapp said. 

The foundation’s Corte Madera Capital Campaign offers several ways to contribute, including donor plaques that will be displayed at the park. 

Visit scottylapp.org to support the Scotty Lapp Memorial Skatepark. With the community’s help, the park will serve as a lasting tribute to Scotty Lapp’s life.