Photo: EFG
Dyrdek and Councilman Herb Wesson. Looks like it's
going to be a good partnership.

Photo: EFG
Breaking ground on the 0,000 project.

Photo: EFG
LOS ANGELES (June 16, 2010) Skateboarder Rob Dyrdek, star of MTV's Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, and Councilmember Herb Wesson attended the groundbreaking ceremony of a $300,000 state-of-the-art skate plaza at the Rancho Cienega Sports Complex, a City facility operated by the Department of Recreation and Parks, is being named in memory of Charmette Bonpua, Councilmember Herb Wesson's late Chief of Staff who passed away in February.

The Charmette Bonpua Safe Spot Skate Spot at Rancho Cienega Park will officially start construction next week and will be set for a grand opening within the next 5 weeks. This public/private partnership came to fruition after the Rob Dyrdek Skate Plaza Foundation provided $50,000 to design and assist in construction and Councilmember Wesson and the Department of Recreation and Parks worked together to secure an additional $250,000 in funds to complete the construction and landscaping improvements for the new skate park. The result is a 15,000 square foot skate plaza that will surely be known as one of the nation s premier public skating venues.

The plans for location had begun two years ago when Councilmember Wesson first opened the Lafayette Skate Plaza location with Dyrdek. With the recent tragic passing of his Chief of Staff of 11 years, Charmette Bonpua, Councilmember Wesson and Dyrdek immediately knew the right thing to do would be to finally build this skate plaza in her honor to recognize all the hard work she had done for the community.

Rob Dyrdek conceptualized and brought into reality the Safe Spot Skate Spot Program, which creates safe havens for kids to skate at across the country through the Rob Dyrdek Foundation. This is the second Skate Plaza opened by Rob Dyrdek in the Councilmember s district; the first being the Lafayette Park Skate Plaza. Rob has plans to continue building more Safe Spot Skate Spot locations throughout Los Angeles.

WHO: MTV Star and Skateboarding Icon Rob Dyrdek, Los Angeles City Councilmember Herb J. Wesson District 10, General Manager L.A. Dept. of Rec. and Parks Jon Mukri, Senior Recreation Director II Ralph Jordan, and more

WHAT: Groundbreaking of The Rob Dyrdek Safe Spot Skate Spot at Rancho Cienega Park

WHEN: Thursday, June 17, 2010

WHERE: Rancho Cienega Sports Complex

ABOUT SAFE SPOT SKATE SPOT

Rob Dyrdek conceptualized and brought into reality the Safe Spot Skate Spot Program, which creates safe havens for kids to skate at across the country through the Rob Dyrdek Skate Plaza Foundation. This is the second Skate Plaza opened by Rob Dyrdek in the Councilmember s district; the first being the Lafayette Park Skate Plaza. Rob has plans to continue building more Safe Spot Skate Spot locations throughout Los Angeles.