Lauridsen Skatepark

{{Short description|Public skatepark}}

{{Infobox athletics race

| bgcolour = Blue

| colour = #FFF

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption = Lauridsen Skatepark

| date = Competition dates vary

| participants =

| location = Des Moines, Iowa, United States

| type = Urban, Outdoor

| distance =

| est = May 7, 2021

| record = TBD

| homepage = {{URL|https://dsmskatepark.com//#}}

}}

Lauridsen Skatepark, at 88,000 square feet, is currently (as of July 2021) the largest public skatepark in the United States.{{Cite web|last=Norvell|first=Kim|date=2019-06-26|title=Des Moines' new skate park will now be the largest in the United States|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/development/2019/06/26/downtown-des-moines-lauridsen-skate-park-united-states-largest-riverfront/1572762001/|access-date=2021-07-27|website=The Des Moines Register|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-05-18|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230518210608/https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/development/2019/06/26/downtown-des-moines-lauridsen-skate-park-united-states-largest-riverfront/1572762001/}} Opening on 7 May 2021, it was designed by project engineer and landscape architect Tim West, alongside Shane Tully of Snyder & Associates with support from California Skateparks, Landscape Architects and Structural Engineers, Polk County Public Works and the City of Des Moines and is located along the west bank the Des Moines River, at 901 2nd Avenue in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, which is on riverfront property near Second Avenue and School Street just northeast of Wells Fargo Arena.{{cite web |last1=West |first=Tim |last2=Anderson |first2=Brad |url=https://www.snyder-associates.com/webinars/nations-largest-competition-level-skatepark-design-construction-lauridsen-skatepark/ |title=Nation’s Largest Competition-Level Skatepark Design & Construction: Lauridsen Skatepark |work=Snyder & Associates (www.snyder-associates.com) website |location=Ankeny, Iowa |date=2021 |access-date=18 May 2023 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518213408/https://www.snyder-associates.com/webinars/nations-largest-competition-level-skatepark-design-construction-lauridsen-skatepark/}}

The Lauridsen Skatepark held the only Olympic skateboarding qualifying event in North America sanctioned by World Skate for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.{{Cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Oswaldo|date=2021-05-01|title=First look at the Official Invited Park and Street Skateboarder List for Dew Tour Des Moines 2021|url=https://www.dewtour.com/stories/invited-skateboarder-list-dew-tour-des-moines-2021/|access-date=2021-07-27|website=Dew Tour|language=en-US}}

The park has been used for competitions and exhibitions. Citizens have painted several murals on it since it opened.{{cite web |url=https://dsmskatepark.com/features/ |title=Lauridsen Skatepark: Skatepark Features |work=dsmskatepark.com website |date=18 May 2023 |access-date=18 May 2023 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518212935/https://dsmskatepark.com/features/}} In May 2023, vandals caused thousands of dollars worth of property damage to the park's bathrooms. This prompted the facilities to close earlier. Additionally in 2023 it was proposed a neighboring dog park be converted into a much-needed parking lot.