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UPDATE, OCT. 15: While its online auction fell slightly short of its posted goal, Stronger Skatepark owner AJ Waters confirmed via email that the Milwaukie-based indoor skating park made more than its $45,000 fundraising goal. More than half of the campaign’s proceeds came directly from donated funds. Waters noted that Stronger will host an additional benefit concert organized by 777 Booking on Saturday, Oct. 19 starting at 6 pm.
Stronger Skatepark—the gender-inclusive, Milwaukie skatepark featured in this year’s Best of Portland Issue—will be holding an auction on Saturday, Oct. 12, to raise $45,000 that will prevent the skatepark’s eviction. The owner, AJ Waters, first announced the fundraising goal in September. Roughly half of that goal was met by the end of September through community donations.
An online auction launched Oct. 4, with prizes including skateboard decks, original artwork, and professional services ranging from tattooing to marketing consulting work. As of press time, bids have raised more than $12,000, leaving a little under $12,000 remaining to clear the fundraiser’s goal. The online auction will close Saturday with a live auction and onsite food and family-friendly entertainment.
Waters opened Stronger Skatepark in April 2019. The skatepark, notable for being trans-owned, has developed a devoted following of students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. After struggling through 2020–21 to regularly pay rent, and making significant headway in the back-due rent accrued in that time, Waters wrote that Stronger’s landlord is still considering replacing the park with another tenant if they don’t get caught up and stay current on their rent.
“Skateparks have never been an easy business to run, but we have been hit by especially hard times and our community has carried us through,” notes a statement on Stronger’s website. “We are hoping to stay here for years to come with more support from the folks who love what we do. Immediate donations will help us make an additional immediate payments. An auction allows us to give people something for their contribution and create a fun exciting event for the entire community to participate in.”
While guests can browse and bid entirely online, those looking for a more tubular time might consider stopping by Stronger’s live auction Saturday. A $25 entry fee helps the park get closer to its goals, while in-person visitors will get a drink ticket, food and entry to onsite karaoke. Since adults will need to focus on the auction, only kids under 14 are able skate on Stronger’s mini-ramp and skate course. (Older teens might need to persuade their parents to bid on guitar and ukulele lessons, after all, if they don’t have a little after-school money to toss in for the cause.)
While most of the auction’s prizes are available online, a small number of real-life prizes will need to be seen in person to go home with one lucky winner, including a kid-sized Squire electric guitar, a sealed Pokémon-branded skateboard deck from Santa Cruz Skateboards, which average around $300 online when they’re unsealed, and—maybe most precious of all—a private pizza party at Stronger.
GO: Stronger Skatepark, 6102 SE King Road, Milwaukie, 503-850-4572, strongerskatepark.com. 6–9 pm Saturday, Oct. 12.