Off Airport Drive in Bristol, across from Mount Abraham Union High School, sits one of the most genuinely welcoming youth spaces in Addison County. The Hub Teen Center & Skatepark has been serving Bristol-area youth since it opened, and it does exactly what its name says: provides a safe, supervised, substance-free place for teens aged 12 to 19 when school isn't in session.

The outdoor skatepark is free and open to the public at all times. Built in 2000 and upgraded over the years, it features quarter pipes, a halfpipe, a pyramid, china box, starter ramp, and various other features. The Hub staff, present weekdays from 10am to 6pm, oversee the park and the adjacent indoor space. During staffed hours you can use the bathroom, borrow a skateboard, scooter, or helmet for free — no charge, no commitment — and the staff will help you get started if you're new. There's also an indoor halfpipe inside the Hub building itself.

Scootering has become particularly popular here because it's the most accessible entry point — easier to pick up than skateboarding, lower barrier to getting on the ramp and feeling good. The Hub leans into that. "The skatepark is a prime example of that space where families and community members can gather and participate in this fun recreational space," Hub director Taylor Welch-Plante told the Middlebury Campus.

A new concrete park is in the works — fundraising ongoing, community support strong — that will replace the current wooden structure with a permanent concrete design featuring banks, bowl features, half-pipes, and rails designed to be accessible for beginners while still offering challenge for experienced riders.

For families visiting Bristol, the Hub is worth knowing about. For local kids, it already is known. It's the kind of community investment that pays returns you can't fully quantify.

The Bristol Hub — Teen Center & Skatepark
110 Airport Drive, Bristol, VT | (802) 453-3678 | bristolskatepark.com
Outdoor skatepark: always open, free | Hub staffed Mon–Fri 10am–6pm
Free equipment rental during staffed hours | Ages 12–19 welcome