History
Wormhoudt Inc. has helped shape the evolution of public skateparks since the creation of Derby Skatepark in 1976. Founded by Ken Wormhoudt, the firm pioneered a user-focused approach that set lasting standards for design and community impact. Our history reflects decades of innovation, public collaboration, and dedication to building spaces that endure.
A History of Firsts in Skatepark Design
From Derby Park to international landmarks, we’ve helped shape the world of public skateparks.
“It’s easy to take good skateparks for granted now, but Wormhoudt was setting the standard long before most people even knew what good design looked like.”
- Jessie Martinez, Professional Skater
1976
Derby Skate Park
Santa Cruz, CA
Known as one of the first skate parks in the world, Derby skate park was the answer to the community needs in this public space. It is renowned as a great success and still is being used every day 50 years later.
1994
Youth Community Park
Santa Rosa, CA
Youth Community Park Skate Park is designed with surf-inspired, flowing terrain. It remains a lasting example of integrating skateboarding into multi-use public parks.
1995
Ken Mercer Skate Park Pleasonton, CA
Ken Mercer Skatepark is one of the worlds first skate plazas. A first of its kind skate park, taking inspiration from urban elements to cater for skaters that prefer to skate 'street' features as opposed to ramps and bowls
1998
Camarillo Skate Park
Camarillo, CA
Utilizing modern dimensions and construction techniques, Camarillo skate park pushed the limits of what skate parks were and set a precedent for what modern skate parks will look like.
1999
Trilogy Skate Park
Midland, MI
Trilogy Skate Park is a standout project that combines flowing transition elements with street features throughout the layout.
2000
Lorin Farr Skate Park
Odgen, UT
Odgen Skate Park in Utah was an early example of modern art and sculpture being used within a skate park to draw users in and make the park stand out.
2002
Dave Armstrong Extreme Park
Louisville, KY
Dave Armstrong Extreme Park was an opportunity to build the country's biggest skate park at the time. pushing the limits of what's possible both with construction and skateboarding.
2004
Marina Skate Park
Marina, CA
Marina Skate Park pushed the boundaries of skate park construction by including a backyard pool with pool coping, a detail that paid homage to the origins of transition skating.
2005
Burgess Skate Park
Menlo, CA
Menlo Skate Park set the standard for quality of bowl layout, merging what could be three bowls into one. giving users the chance to ride quarter pipes of all sizes in one run.
2006
Kapolei Regional Skate Park
Kapolei, Hawaii
Inspired by the movement and flow of surfing, Kapolei Skate Park translates local culture into rideable form through a layout that prioritizes rhythm, speed, and freedom of movement.
2007
Tel Aviv Skate Park, Israel
Tel Aviv Skate Park, completed in 2007, was our first international project and Israel’s first public skatepark, The park was successfully completed despite geographic and logistical challenges through strong collaboration and careful design.
2007
Calabasas Bike Park
Calabasas, CA
Calabasas bike park is Wormhoudt inc.'s first public bike park design. A big step into a new world of action sports design, providing bikers of all ages a place to progress their skills.
2007
Ken Wormhoudt Skate Park
Santa Cruz, CA
Ken Wormhoudt Skate park is the first skate park in the world to be entirely colored using a method of acid staining to give the park a beachy feeling of a sandy brown flat areas and wavelike blue transitions.
2008
Lake Cunningham Regional Action Sports Park
San Jose, CA
At 68,000 SQF Lake Cunningham Skatepark is the Largest skate park in California and 3rd largest in the country. It hosts the worlds largest capsule and an array of features including bowls, street plaza, full pipe, and vert wall.
2009
Mosqueda Bike Park
Fresno, CA
Mosqueda Bike Park in Fresno is a great example of user-based design. After lots of community meetings, the aim of this project was to create larger obstacles and layout to increase speed and trick difficulty for BMX bikers.
2009
Venice Beach Skate Park
Venice Beach, CA
Since the opening of Venice Beach Skate Park, it has been a huge success not only as a quality skate park, but as a spectacle of the public and an opportunity for everyday people to get immersed in the world of skate parks.
2013
Loomis Skate Plaza
Loomis, CA
Loomis Skate Plaza is an example of innovation into the realm of contemporary urban skate plazas. providing skaters with the chance to skate elements found in the urban context in a controlled and safe environment.
2014
Lathrop Skate Park
Lathrop, CA
The 13,000 SQF skate park represents a transition into top of the line contemporary skate parks that blend quality transition features and bowls with street plazas to create a park that entertains every type of user.
2016
Joseph Emery Skate Spot
Emeryville, CA
A skate park or walkway? Emeryville Skate Park combines both elements into one space, giving the entire community a transportation and recreating space in one. The skatepark serves as a vital connection between two nodes in the city of Emeryville.
2021
Watsonville Pump track
Watsonville, CA
Being Wormhoudt Incs. first pump track, Watsonville pump track was a huge success and made headlines throughout the region as a well designed and built contemporary recreation asset to the community.
2023
UN Skate Plaza
San Francisco, CA
UN Plaza Skate Park, completed in 2023, is a key element of San Francisco’s Civic Center revitalization, bringing legal, high-quality skate terrain into a highly visible urban setting. Designed to echo the feel of classic local street spots, the plaza supports daily use while helping activate and reframe a historically underused public space.
2024
Centennial Way Park South Skate Park
South San Francisco, CA
The only park of its kind in the U.S.A, Centennial Way Park South Skate Park is made entirely of granite, a premium material that all skateboarders dream of getting to cruse on. The smooth surface combined with simple and unique design has given this park the reputation of being a "perfect skate park."
