Golden Gate Park Skate Plaza Renamed for Influential SF Skater
San Francisco’s Waller Street Skate Park has been officially renamed Zion Skate Plaza in honor of Zion Williams Gaines, a Bayview resident and influential figure in the local skateboarding community. Zion lost his vision as a teenager due to a gunshot wound but continued skating and mentoring others until his death in 2023 at age 20. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission unanimously approved the renaming earlier this year.
Zion was involved with the SF Skate Club, interned with DLX Distribution, and helped lead the Friends of Waller group, which was instrumental in a $218,000 renovation of the plaza in 2022. He had recently applied for a position with the city’s Shred and Butter skateboarding program before he passed away. The renaming recognizes his role in strengthening San Francisco’s skate culture and youth programs.
Located at Waller and Stanyan Streets in Golden Gate Park, the skate plaza was originally transformed from a decommissioned street in 2011—marking a national first for a city-sanctioned skate space. Today, Zion Skate Plaza remains a key spot for skaters from across the Bay Area, now carrying the name of someone who helped shape its identity and future.
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