A new Lincoln skatepark will honor the legacy of longtime skateboarder and community advocate Kevin Wilkins.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced Friday that the skatepark at Canopy Yard will be named the Kevin Wilkins Memorial Skatepark. Wilkins, 58, died of cancer Nov. 4, 2025. “Kevin wanted Lincoln to be a place where skateboarders could gather, where young people could find belonging and where people from different backgrounds could connect,” Gaylor Baird said. “Naming this skatepark in his honor recognizes both his extraordinary contributions to skateboarding and the deep commitment he had to Lincoln.”
Wilkins was a lifelong skateboarder, writer, editor, mentor and advocate whose work in the skateboarding industry took him around the world. He returned to Nebraska and focused on supporting communities new to skateboarding, including work in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. He also was involved in the decadeslong effort to bring a significant public skatepark to Lincoln, led by Phil Burcher, owner of Precision Skateboards and president of the Lincoln Skatepark Association.
Burcher said Wilkins’ influence extended well beyond skateboarding. “Kevin’s influence and impact on the skateboard industry was worldwide, his writing and creativity resonated with many people including those outside of skateboarding,” Burcher said. He added that Wilkins’ creative work helped connect Lincoln to the skateboarding industry and that his “friendly, infectious DIY attitude made Lincoln a better place to live.”
Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk called the naming a fitting tribute to Wilkins’ legacy. “I had the privilege of knowing Kevin Wilkins for decades, working with him, traveling with him, and he was a true skateboarder at heart,” Hawk said. Hawk also credited Wilkins with providing influential perspectives on skateboarding and its potential to positively affect young people and communities.
Three signs commemorating Wilkins will be displayed at the skatepark. Wilkins’ family said the naming gives his passion for skateboarding and his love of Lincoln a lasting home. His wife, Cheryl Wilkins, said the family is grateful to the Lincoln and skateboarding communities for supporting the dedication.
Canopy Yard is a 10-acre, $25 million urban park being built at Seventh and N streets in downtown Lincoln. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2027. The park also will include an interactive water feature, playground, dog park, community building and pump track. It is a partnership between the Lincoln Parks Foundation and the city and is funded through city money, federal grants, the West Haymarket Joint Public Agency, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and private donations.
The family encourages community members to help honor Kevin’s legacy by making a gift to the endowment fund for Canopy Yard at Lincoln Parks Foundation, which will help provide care for the park forever. To make a gift, visit Here.
For more information on Canopy Yard and the Kevin Wilkins Memorial Skatepark, visit Here.