Legendary Skateboarder Celebrates $1-Million Park Upgrade in Mountain Community.
SMITHERS, B.C. — Skateboarding icon Tony Hawk made a surprise visit to the northern British Columbia town of Smithers on Thursday to help unveil a major expansion to the local skate park, drawing hundreds of excited fans to the community of just 5,000 people.
Hawk, who became a global ambassador for skateboarding through his pioneering tricks and wildly popular video game series, appeared in a video posted on social media before the event.
“Hey, what’s up Smithers? It’s Tony Hawk. Someone told me there’s a skate demo happening at your new park?” he said. “That’s pretty cool. I may have to check it out.”
Months in the Making, Kept Under Wraps
The appearance was orchestrated by the Smithers Skate Park Society, but organizers kept the visit a secret until Hawk arrived. Jake Daly, a longtime member of the society, said the plan had been in development for months.
As Daly mingled among the crowd, he noted the overwhelming response.
“We’ve never had this many people here,” he said. “Some folks drove more than five hours just to catch a glimpse of Tony. They skipped school, skipped work — and can you blame them?”
Daly, who now works for Tourism Smithers, recalled skating at the original, much smaller park during his high school days. “I never imagined I’d be welcoming Tony Hawk to my hometown,” he said. “The parents might be even more excited than the kids. We all grew up on Tony Hawk games.”
From Humble Beginnings to a World-Class Park
Smithers was the first community north of Kamloops to open a dedicated skate park, launching its original facility in 1996. In recent years, the town has invested nearly $1 million into a major upgrade. The expansion includes new features like an eight-foot bowl, improved lighting, benches, and updated signage.
Hawk praised the town for its commitment to skateboarding.
“It’s a world-class park in a relatively small town,” he told CBC Radio West. “When I started skating, the park near my home was one of the only ones around. It gave me a place to belong — a sense of community and purpose.”
A New Destination for Board Sports
For Hawk, the trip was not just a professional engagement but a personal treat. “I’m an avid snowboarder,” he said, gazing at the surrounding mountain views. “I’d love to come back here.”
Daly sees the park as a natural fit in a town that’s already become a destination for winter sports.
“Over time, Smithers has grown into a hub for board sports,” he said. “There’s always been a strong underground skate and punk scene here. Seeing it grow into something this big is really special.”
The soft-spoken community in B.C.’s Bulkley Valley now has more than just fresh concrete — it has a memory that skaters and residents alike won’t soon forget.