'A Giant Leap Forward': Exciting News For Greenport Skate Park Plans

GREENPORT, NY — "If you build it, they will come." For Rena Wilhelm, who's worked tirelessly for years to see the Greenport Skate Park reborn, the words have never been more true.

"We've just taken a giant leap forward," Wilhelm announced recently on social media. "What started back in 2019 from an 11-year-old boy's dream is actually coming to life."

In past interviews, Wilhelm has told Patch that in 2019, a local boy, Dane Jensen, asked his mom to reach out to the community after seeing recent graffiti that really upset him.

"After seeing this plea, I said, 'Let's figure this out and let's do this,'" Wilhelm said.

From the start, Wilhelm has had dedicated volunteers passionate about seeing the project come to fruition; fundraisers were organized, bringing out crowds. In 2022, the group became an official non-profit organization and last year, major fundraising milestones were achieved.

"Despite limited support, we’ve worked tirelessly to bring back the heart of our community and transform our park into a thriving destination for skateboarders, skaters, scooter riders, BMX athletes, and more. Our goal: not only to engage our local community but to inspire the next generation of park users," Wilhelm said.

But, she added, the road hasn’t been easy. "When we received a jaw-dropping estimate from a renowned skate park builder, it felt like fundraising was out of reach. But we didn’t give up."

And then, in recent days, Wilhelm announced "a true game-changer": Dominick Marcoccia, a contractor who excels in skate park builds, reached out, she said. "Dom and his amazing team, including Duran Murphy, have come on board to build our park, in partnership with Marco Masonry," she said.

Wilhelm added: "What we thought would be Phase 2 has now become Phase 1! After our second board meeting tonight with Dom and the support of our incredible Mayor Kevin Steussi," the project is set to move forward in a big way, she said.

Steussi spoke with Patch: "I’m very excited for the Greenport Skate Park committee and its incredible leader, Rena Wilhelm, to present to the village board their exciting plans for the Greenport Skate Park!" he said. "The passion, energy and dedication exhibited by Rena and the team has so many in our community excited about the future of this regional asset. I can’t wait to see it rebuilt."

"We’ll be pushing a strong fundraising campaign this summer to raise the remaining capital, and with a hopeful projected start date this fall, we’re so close," Wilhelm said.

The joy is immeasurable, Wilhelm said. "I can't even begin to express how emotional I am about this. Those who know me know the blood, sweat, and tears I've poured into this project. But it’s because of my amazing team, the support of our community, and our dedicated mayor that I’m finally going to see this through. I literally can’t believe I’m saying this. Happy tears are definitely in order. Let's go!"

For years, Wilhelm and others have poured their hearts into breathing new life into the skate park, organizing fundraisers and never losing faith in their mission.

Speaking with Patch, Wilhelm explained that years ago, her team was approached by the builders of Montauk Skate Park, a Missouri-based company that communicated with them throughout the journey to revitalize the Greenport Skate Park.

"Given the similar scale, our estimated budget was also around $1.8 million — a daunting number for a small village like Greenport, which doesn’t have Montauk’s resources or skateboarding culture," Wilhelm said. "Despite the overwhelming challenge, I stayed committed to the community, pushing forward through small fundraisers and private donations, raising just over $100,000. Unfortunately, we plateaued at that amount for over a year."

While seeking funding, Wilhelm said she learned that most grants are geared toward programs, not infrastructure.

"The most promising opportunity — The Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation)—required 30 percent of the budget secured before they could even apply, meaning they needed at least $300,000 for a $1 million Phase 1," she said.

Throughout this process, Wilhelm has faithfully kept the community updated on social media.

"One follower regularly messaged me with thoughtful advice about park design — Dominick Marcoccia, a Long Island skateboarder and cement contractor known for creating a beloved skate park," Wilhelm said.

Marcoccia's passion for keeping skateboarding alive on Long Island has always burned brightly, Wilhelm said.

"Dominick has been following our progress and recently offered to help us build our park for a fraction of the original estimate. He and his father Valentino own Marco Masonry Corp. We are very close to the funds needed to move forward with him and are planning a strong fundraising push this summer. A few final approvals are still required from the village to complete design plans. We’ve had the unwavering support of Mayor Kevin Stuessi and are hopeful we can begin construction this fall."

Phase 1 should take about 3 months, she said.

Next, Wilhelm said, "in a serendipitous moment," local builder and long-time customer of Wilhelm's at her store The Weathered Barn, Bill Hoermann, stopped by the shop.

"He shared that Valentino (Marcoccia) mentioned the Greenport project at a cement convention at Mohegan Sun last month," she said. "When Bill heard the name, he said, 'I know the woman heading up that project!' and gave the Marcoccias glowing praise, reinforcing that we’ve found the right team. It felt like a sign that the universe was responding."

For Wilhelm, this new burst of momentum signals conviction that all the many long hours have meant a dream realized.

"I’ve been visualizing the joy on the faces of the kids and long-time skaters when the park finally becomes a place they can feel proud of," she said. "I will be honest, there were times that I thought I would give it all I could, until I couldn't anymore. I wasn't sure this day would come, but I pressed on."

She added: " I think I am still in shock, to be honest; I will probably break down in tears once the construction starts. I sincerely believe that 'If you build it, they will come', and this project will attract a new generation of skate enthusiasts and rekindle the passion of our long-time skateboarding community."

The first fundraising event of the season will kick off on National Go Skateboarding Day, on Saturday, June 21, "with exciting plans in the works," she said.