Skate park in Natomas named in Tyre Nichols' honor

Councilmember Lisa Kaplan embraces Keyana Dixon after the vote to change the skate park name.

Sacramento, CA (Mar. 28, 2023) - The Sacramento City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to name a skate park in North Natomas after Tyre Nichols, the former Sacramento resident slain by police in Memphis.

Nichols, 29, was brutally murdered after a traffic stop in January 2023. Six officers were fired and five charged with second-degree murder in the incident.

In tearful testimony to the City Council Tuesday, Tyre Nichols' sister Keyana Dixon, who still lives in the Sacramento area, described the skate park as the place where Tyre “discovered the most beautiful parts of himself.”

The skate park at Regency Park in North Natomas did not have an official name prior to the vote Tuesday. The City normally requires a person to be deceased for more than a year before a facility can be named in their honor. But the City Council waived that requirement on the recommendation of the City’s Parks Commission.

While the official name change is effective immediately, the City will be working to place a plaque at the skate park later this year. Councilmember Lisa Kaplan (District 1) is planning a community celebration and naming dedication for June 11th, 2023.

Kaplan also announced a partnership with the Skate Park Project, a nonprofit started by well known professional skater Tony Hawk, that will work to make improvements and honor Nichols’ legacy for generations to come.

A photo of the skate park at Regency Park.