"Portugal. The Man supports effort to renovate Anchorage’s Taku Skatepark"
Just two days before Valentine’s Day, members of the Alaska-raised, Grammy-winning band Portugal. The Man are again showing their love for Alaska Youth. Co-founder Zachary Carothers and fellow Alaska-raised band mates John Gourley and Eric Howk have a long history of caring for the people and places that make Alaska special.
The skatepark is already a much-loved asset by the skater community. However, the equipment at the park is in need of an update and there’s potential for Taku to become a destination skatepark for skaters across Anchorage. Of particular interest to both Portugal.The Man and the Tony Hawk Foundation is that the location is important to the Dena’ina, Anchorage’s First People.
The skatepark is located along the Campbell Creek Trail. Campbell Creek has been identified as an area of special importance to the Dena’ina, Anchorage’s First People, which they know as “Qin Cheghitnu” or Crying Ridge Creek.
“When we heard that this place was important to Anchorage skaters and Alaska indigenous people, we knew we had to be on board,” said Carothers. He and his bandmates were in Fairbanks in October to be recognized by the Alaska Federation of Natives for their work raising awareness of indigenous people and causes.
Jason and Kelly Borgstede, owners of the South Anchorage’s Blue & Gold Boardshop, are raising funds for major improvements to Taku Lake Skatepark as part of a Challenge Grant program through the Anchorage Park Foundation and Rasmuson Foundation.
Their first achievement was securing $10,000 from the Tony Hawk Foundation, a national grant-making initiative that has donated to more than 600 skatepark projects in all 50 states.
The challenge is on to continue fundraising efforts meet the goal of $40,000 in cash, volunteer labor, and in-kind donations.
