OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — For those outside of the community, skateboarding might seem like just a hobby but for lifelong skateboarders like Brenton Gomez skating, and the parks where you skate, is a home away from home.
“I see myself in a lot of the skateboarders who are coming up now, who maybe don’t have a father at home or some troubling things around them, I’ve seen how skateboarding has kept them in a good space, especially at Lynch Park,” said Gomez.
Lynch Park has been at the center of South Omaha’s skateboarding scene for years now.
It wasn’t built to be a skate park originally.
But a group of wayward skaters started taking to the park and over the years the skate community has taken on a DIY attitude to turn it into a sanctuary for skaters.
“We all have ownership of this space because we have all done work there to make it and beautify the space,” said Gomez.
In recent years, the skate community has had to fight to keep their space at Lynch Park.
In 2020, the city started the process to remove skate ramps at the park before public outcry saved ramps.
Now Gomez and other supporters of Lynch Park are looking forward to what the park could be in the future and are starting the process to revitalize the Lynch Skatepark.
“This is so the kids can come out from the community, into a space in the community and speak on what they want to see in their own space at Lynch Park,” said Gomez.
Gomez is surveying what youth in the community want to see at Lynch Park and skaters will be able to give their input on what obstacles they want to see or what layout they think would work best.
While the survey can be completed digitally, Gomez wanted to offer a physical space to skaters to offer their opinions in person, all while enjoying art that tells the story of what Lynch Park means to the community.
“You are gonna be seeing art from Graffiti writers to photography,” said Gomez.
The survey, and the gallery, are going to be open through the middle of April.
For Gomez, the effort isn’t just a way to further his hobby, it's also a way to give back to a community that embraced him and helped him grow into the person he is today.
"The skateboarding community is a reflection of self. For the people who take care of me as a youth, I want to do that now as an adult,” said Gomez.
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