THIS Father's Day will be one filled with firsts for Australian street skateboarding champion Russell Grundy.
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It will be his first Father's Day with 10-month-old son Floyd, and they plan to spend the morning at Swansea Skatepark for National Skate Park Day.
Also part of the action will be pro skater Kieran Reilly and pro scooter rider Coedie Donovan, and there'll be competition and activities for all.
Grundy is supporting the Swansea event to nurture the sport in the area.
He started skating in high school, and has toured the world, competing in the United States, Asia and New Zealand. He's been named Australia's street skating champion twice and moved to the US to become a professional skater.
Since his return three years ago, Grundy has supported Go Skateboarding Day in June at Bar Beach, established a retail business and sponsors a local pro team.
He thought the National Skate Park Day was a great initiative for the sport and the region.
"There are a fair few fathers that skate with their kids at Newcastle and Lake Macquarie," he said.
"Skating has been around a while, it has a good foundation in this region."
Floyd is naturally attracted to his toy-size tech-deck, and chooses it over his other toys, his dad says.
"He has a normal size deck too that he pushes around and use it like a walker," Grundy said. And his face lights up when he goes for a ride with dad. But the decision to skate will be his own.
Floyd goes to work most days with dad and mum Morgan at their shop at Playgrounds Park, Warners Bay.
It has partnered with Lake Macquarie City Council to put on the event, one of 20 councils to be involved in the inaugural Skate Park Day.
Council's promotions co-ordinator Jasmyne McCabe said it was a good way to connect with the the community, especially younger generations and their families.
■ Celebrate Father's Day and National Skate Park Day, Sunday, September 7, Swansea Skate Park, Chapman Oval, 9am to noon.