Cream City Skatepark races to find new home as closure looms

BUTLER, Wis. (CBS 58) - A popular skatepark in Butler is racing against the clock to stay alive.

Cream City Skatepark has just weeks to find a new home before it is forced to shut its doors, potentially ending a 20-year run as a community hub for local skaters.

Co-owner Bill Kaschner said the situation is difficult for everyone who calls the park home.

“Everyone’s sad. Can’t believe it’s gone,” said Kaschner. 

The countdown comes as the skatepark loses its current space after two decades. Its lease has expired, and the landlord plans to use the building for something else - leaving the business scrambling to relocate in a short amount of time.

Dyllan Dekan, a lead instructor at the park, said the team is actively searching for a new facility that can keep the community together.

“We are on the hunt for a new spot, looking for something around 7,000 or 11,000 square feet to be able to keep the spot open for our skaters,” said Dekan.

For many who come through its doors, Cream City is more than just a place to skate.

“Kids say it’s like their second home. They come here and they know everybody and this is where they made all their friends,” Kaschner said.

That sense of belonging is what skaters say they cannot afford to lose. “People telling us you need to keep going, we need this place, you need this place. It’s so important to so many people,” Dekan said.

The skatepark also fills a gap during Wisconsin’s winters.

Kaschner said losing an indoor space leaves many wondering where they will go next. “In the wintertime it’s like where is everyone going to go, what’s everyone going to do. There’s a lot of outdoor places but when the weather’s not right where are you going to go,” he said.

The challenge is even greater as another indoor facility, Four Seasons Skatepark in Milwaukee, is also planning to close further shrinking options for year-round skating.

Still, Dekan said the fight to keep Cream City alive is far from over.

“We can’t let that die, we have no intentions of closing up shop. We want to keep a place like this available for the community so we’re going to keep looking, we’re going to keep fighting,” he said.