Rapid City, SD – Ground Control, the free indoor skate park and multimedia arts studio that serves youth on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, suffered significant exterior damage after a truck crashed into its building on the morning of Oct. 20.
Founder and CEO Kyle Mesteth was in his office when the impact occurred. “It was almost 9 in the morning, and I just heard this loud crash that I’ve never heard in this building before,” Mesteth said. “Someone crashed into the building. That was my first initial thought, and it’s what happened, really.”
Extent of the damage
The truck smashed through a steel security door and cage, stopping just inches short of a primary load‑bearing corner beam. While the main structural integrity of the facility remains intact and no one was injured, the collision left heavy localized damage that must be sealed before winter weather arrives.
“Where the truck ran into, there was a steel door there and a steel cage, and the truck ran right into it and like, missed the corner beam by inches,” Mesteth explained. “We’re thinking of a garage access and replacing the cage as well, just to secure it back to normal.”
Fundraising effort
To cover the cost of new steel doors, hardware, framing lumber, insulation, drywall, and metal siding, Mesteth launched an online GoFundMe campaign. The fundraiser aims to raise enough money to complete the urgent exterior repairs before temperatures drop.
Community members can find the campaign link on Kyle Mesteth’s Facebook page or contribute directly through www.lakotafuture.org.
Why Ground Control matters
Ground Control was founded in 2020 to eliminate the winter “off‑season” for local skateboarders, offering a warm, supervised, free environment for neighborhood kids. Beyond skateboarding ramps, the facility hosts hip‑hop shows, art sessions, and music projects, providing a creative incubator for youth.
“A lot of people are angry about it,” Mesteth said. “They’re like, ‘The one place where the kids can go, things like this happen.’ It’s just unfortunate that it had to be us, or anybody for that matter. But we’re figuring it out and we’re moving forward.”
Mesteth emphasized that the crash highlights systemic challenges facing the Pine Ridge community. “All of this is just the result of poverty and oppression,” he said. “Through places like Ground Control, we can change the narrative and break cycles so that the youth growing up here don’t make the wrong decisions or slip through the cracks.”
Future plans
Beyond repairing the damage, Mesteth envisions expanding Ground Control with a fully equipped stainless‑steel kitchen to serve hot meals to visiting youth, further strengthening the center’s role as a safe haven.
Original reporting: KOTA (Gray) – local — read the source article.
