Davis-born skateboarder Nyjah Huston wins first Olympic medal, plans to help renovate his old skatepark
DAVIS -- One of the most decorated skateboarders of all time, Nyjah Huston, wants to help his hometown plan renovations to the skatepark where it all started for him.
The Davis native is fresh off of the Olympic podium in Paris where he won the bronze medal in a nail-biting final event where he was in first place until the last moments of competition. It marks his first Olympic win after he left the 2020 Tokyo Games empty-handed.
Huston is a six-time world champion and 13-time X Games gold medalist.
Machado says the city is planning to build a new skate park from scratch at The Community Park along F Street and W. Covell Boulevard and they are thrilled to have Huston's help.
"He's expressed a desire to come back and skate it before we demolish it and expressed a desire to actually contribute to the design in some way," said Deanne Machado, Parks Director for the City of Davis.
They also want the new park to reflect what the locals want to see.
"We're really relying on feedback from our local community of skateboarders," said Machado, adding they've already started putting out surveys.
Jack White, skateboarder and co-founder of the Davis Skate Park Association, said he can't wait for the new park.
"After skating this park for so long, sometimes it can get a little boring and it's hard to progress," White said. "There could be stair sets and something that represents something like the street. There could be giant pools and big bowls."
Huston's stardom started with humble beginnings at this Davis skate park.
"There's lots of lore and history about Nyjah skating Davis and just being so good from an early age," White said.
Huston's road to becoming one of the best in his sport was not easy.
His family was navigating divorce, custody battles and financial trouble when his mother enrolled him in the first-ever Street League Skateboarding event in Arizona. She was left with less than $100 to her name.
"When we needed it the most, I made it happen," Huston said in an interview with CBS News.
Huston won big, bringing home $150,000 and financial stability to his family at just 15 years old. From there, the sky was the limit.
"I think the fact I was able to get through those rough moments as a kid and still come out with that much love for it, it's the perfect example of how fun skateboarding is, and it's really just an addiction. There is nothing else like it," said Huston.
Now, his hometown of Davis is building on his journey.
"Nyjah's story is inspiring. He did grow up in this skate park. If he can achieve that level of greatness having gotten his start here in this skatepark, which can be definitely improved, how much more wonderful would it be for us to improve it and make it even better? That whole new generation of young people can come in and dream big just like Nyjah," said Machado.
Davis' city council has already approved the renovation project which will be funded with local American Rescue Plan dollars. Pre-approved contractors are in the process of drawing up designs. The city will bid on a design and move forward with the hopes of breaking ground after the start of the new year.
They hope to open the new park in the fall of 2025.
Huston has not yet elaborated on what the extent of his involvement will be in the park's renovation but the city of Davis welcomes all that he has to offer.
