The conceptual design for the Tyre Nichols Memorial is slated to be revealed midsummer per The Skatepark Project (TSP.)
According to The Skatepark Project’s director of grants and skatepark development, Trevor Staples, the next steps in the development process will be to unveil the design that was created based on community input.
“This concept will allow stakeholders throughout the community to see not only the potential size and scope of the entire project [and] inclusiveness of the skatepark,” Staples said in a statement.
In April, the Tyre Nichols Foundation along with TSP held a design charette at the National Civil Rights Museum, where community members and stakeholders were allowed to share input on what they would like to see at the skatepark.
“Successful public skateparks begin with involvement of the community,” Staples said. “The goal of this project is to not only have a place for young people to engage in free, healthy, outdoor recreation, but to create a gathering place for community members across the Memphis area.”
This will be the second skatepark dedicated to Nichols, as TSP helped revamp a skatepark in Sacramento, California with the support from Vans.
“Although we didn’t know him personally, Tyre was part of our community – the skate community – a community that bonds us together,” Staples said. “With that, TSP wanted to support Tyre’s family through amplification of their fundraising efforts, which brought us together and since then we have been working with them in a larger capacity to help their goal of building a skatepark in his honor.”
Keyana Dixon, Nichols’ oldest sister and founder of the Tyre Nichols Foundation, said one of the best ways to honor her brother’s memory is to give back to the community and honor all aspects of his life.
“What I’ve noticed from all of this is that Memphis is a pretty rough place, but he was able to find all the beautiful things there,” Dixon said. “He really enjoyed Memphis — he loved it. It’s a way to have his energy and his space there. It’s hard to stay, but everytime I come to Memphis, I can feel my brother. Like all the love, community support … it’s just felt all the time.”
Dixon said the charette, in conjunction with the community and partners such as TSP and the “Hip-Hop Architect” Michael Ford, showed overwhelming support for the skatepark, knowing that it would not only be a great way to commemorate Nichols, but a safe space for citizens.
“It’s going to draw people from all over the world to come visit the skatepark. It’s going to be a safe space to build relationships and that’s what we got from the charette.
Community input is extremely important to the Tyre Nichols Foundation and TSP in designing the skate park. Both organizations spoke about the many communities being represented in these collaborations.
“It was a lot of skaters, a lot of people from all different walks of life,” Dixon said. “Old, young, Black, white — it didn’t matter, everyone was there in support of this project in honor of my brother.”
TSP and the Tyre Nichols Foundation hope to have a location confirmed by the end of the year.