WILMINGTON — The Greenfield Grind Skate Park will soon become a memorial to a local skater who was tragically killed by an impaired driver in December 2025.
The Wilmington City Council voted unanimously to rename the establishment at Greenfield Lake to Alec Chambers Skate Park of Wilmington. In council chambers on Tuesday, more than 50 people came out in support of the name change. Councilmember Chakema Clinton-Quintana, also the chair of the Facilities Renaming Committee which includes Salette Andrews and JC Lyle, noted they met March 23 to consider the name change.
“The recommendation and action was approved by the committee unanimously,” Clinton-Quintana read aloud Monday, to much applause and with tears in her eyes.
Chambers was killed on Dec. 30 when a drink-driver struck him with her vehicle at Satellite Bar and Lounge. Previously, Chambers worked at the establishment but also was a friend to many in the skate and arts community of Wilmington. Not only was he a professional skateboarder, but a visual artist as well.
His mother, Joy North, with her son, Chandler, both sported shirts with an “A” tag on them, in honor fo Alex. North spoke to council members during public comment.
“Alec’s roots are at Greenfield, sometimes he skated open to close,” she recalled, noting her 32-year-old son began the sport at the ripe age of 10 before eventually becoming the “de facto Mayor of Greenfield.” “He would spend hours there perfecting a trick.”
The application to rename the park was turned over to the city in January by Andrew Bell, formally requesting the consideration. Bell included a petition of almost 7,000 signatures favoring the memorialization of Chambers who was laid to rest on Jan. 9.
The community fund-raised to pay the $200 filing fee for the city to consider the name change; another $500 is required to cover costs associated with changing signage and doing community outreach. North said Filmworks Inc., where Alec was employed at the time of his death, has offered to cover renaming fees to move the process along.
“After the naming, we want to clean up the park, assist in maintaining the park so younger riders can enjoy it,” North added, describing Alec as a mentor to many kids there, who she hoped would carry on his legacy.
Parks and Recreation Director Amy Beatty said a timeline will be put together soon for the city to host an official naming ceremony.
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