BUTLER, Wis. — A popular indoor skatepark in Butler is set to close its doors in less than a month, leaving the owner and community looking for a new space.
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When you drop in to Cream City Skatepark, you hear the carving, sliding and stumbling from all the skaters. You also see two decades' worth of memories embedded into the walls.
Bill Kaschner and his wife have owned the indoor park for 20 years.
Watch: Owner of Cream City Skatepark searching for new space as closure nears
"2014 we had Tony Hawk come through, that was amazing," Kaschner said.
They have created a resilient community of skaters who call this place home.
"This place has been everything to me. I mean, I've met all of my friends here," skateboarding instructor Dyllan Dekan said.
"Dude, it's just the best place. You get to see all your buddies," skater Max Gernhardt said.
But now the lease for the space is up, and Kaschner says they cannot stay here. The park will officially close on April 12.
"I think the hardest part is just all the kids that have been coming here every Saturday morning. That's gonna be the hardest thing to not see them anymore," Kaschner said.
"People are really sad. A lot of people hold this place very close to their heart. And I think the biggest thing is people wants to keep going," Dekan said.
Since starting in 2006, Kaschner said about 30,000 skaters have rolled through this space. Even though this location is closing, they hope the Cream City Skatepark name can live on in a new home.
"It feels like a new chapter," Kaschner said.
They are looking for an affordable indoor spot with plenty of open space for more sick moves.
"We're definitely going to be keep rallying on. We have no intentions on closing on down," Dekan said.
"I told Bill, I'll always be a customer no matter," Gernhardt said.
With a community ready to follow, they are getting up and pushing forward.
"It’s like you fall down, you get back up," Kaschner said.
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