Since its ribbon cutting last September, Murfreesboro’s skate park, located at Old Fort Park, has become a vibrant community gathering spot, attracting skaters of all skill levels and backgrounds.

Park officials are thrilled with the park’s reception, noting that it remains consistently busy regardless of weather conditions.

“Anytime we go out there, there’s always lots of people enjoying it,” said Parks and Recreation Marketing Coordinator Lynn Caldwell. “One of the things I think we’ve really enjoyed the most is seeing all types of different people, different levels, different skill sets, out there using it, enjoying it, working together, helping each other.”

The park’s design encourages community interaction, with users of different skill levels interacting and observing each other. The park represents more than just a recreational space—it’s a community gathering point that brings various people together, catalyzes community connection and youth engagement, and promotes an active lifestyle.

Xavier Solis is a manager at MOAB (Murfreesboro Outdoor and Bicycle) and has worked there since 2006. As a skateboarder, he prefers to hit the park early, around 9 in the morning. Solis also said he sees skaters of all ages and skill levels, some kids with their parents, others more experienced skaters in their 30s.

“It’s not a skate park where you feel super intimidated,” said Solis, expressing appreciation of the environment.

Phil Doran owns LRB Skate and Record Shop, which sponsors a team that includes older and younger skaters with help from his son, Gage Duran. Phil’s goal is for the older generation to influence the younger generation, which he considers the future of skating. The team can often skate in the park along with team riders of Diet Skateboards, a Tennessee-based skateboard and apparel company which Kenny Page founded and originated in Murfreesboro. They maintain a close relationship with LRB Skate and Record Shop.

Gage Doran said he considers the Old Fort skate park one of the best in the surrounding area. However, Doran does express the need for lighting for more hours of skating and hopes the city will eventually expand the area due to the limited amount of open space and the sometimes high volume of participants at the park, a combination which increases the risk of collisions.

“I’ll go because it’s clear, and I’ll go over, turn around on the quarter pipe, and come back and like four kids will spawn out of nowhere,” Doran said, explaining the potential hazards of the current space limitations. “They will just come from different ways.”

Plans for the park remain flexible. While there are potential considerations for lighting and expanded event usage, park officials are currently taking a measured approach, allowing the community to establish usage patterns and fully embrace the new space.

Currently, there are no immediate plans to install lighting. The park remains open from dawn to dusk. A conduit was installed underground and specifically placed for potential future lighting, so lighting is a possibility for the future, but not a current priority.

The skate park is part of a broader parks and recreation initiative, which includes recent renovations to other local recreational areas, demonstrating the city’s commitment to creating engaging public spaces for residents.

As summer approaches, excitement builds around the park, with increased usage expectations.

The city is simultaneously upgrading other recreational areas including renovating softball fields in the Old Fort Park area, redesigning parking and elevation zones, and updating outdoor tennis and pickleball courts.

The most ambitious Murfreesboro Parks project that recently broke ground is the new 150-acre Veterans Park. This expansive green space, on the west side of town located off Interstate 840 and Veterans Pkwy, will feature walking trails, a basketball court, four pavilions, and an outdoor event area capable of hosting concerts and festivals.

Local skate shops have already noticed a significant impact due to the city’s skate park, with new enthusiasts discovering skateboarding through the park. Many skateboarders who once enjoyed the skate park at the Rutherford County Family YMCA, which closed in 2015, are reconnecting with the sport, forming weekend groups, and reigniting their passion.

While the city’s Parks and Recreation department has been cautious about hosting events during the first calendar year, the community remains optimistic about future possibilities.

Local businesses like LRB Skate and Record Shop and MOAB have been eager to host events such as participating in the Annual National Go-Skateboarding on June 21. LRB planned a free skate event in July 2024, but had to relocate that to Spring Hill’s Walnut Street Skate Park.

As word spreads, the Old Fort Park skate park draws visitors from Nashville and surrounding areas, positioning Murfreesboro as a destination for skate, scooter and bike enthusiasts and demonstrating the transformative power of thoughtful urban recreational design.

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Rainbow and Kyle Lemon photos (2 at top, and fifth from top) courtesy of Ashleigh Newnes

Gage Doran and Sunset photos courtesy of Steven Bond

Photo, bottom, courtesy of Jim Davis / Murfreesboro Parks and Rec