I grew up in Milwaukee, and some of my best childhood memories were made at Butler Skateland. That rink still stands today, and I can still remember the thrill of those few times I was able to go—usually only when a friend was heading there or on a rare school field trip. Most of the time, though, it was too far away. As a kid, I longed for a place close to home where I could skate, laugh, and feel like I could fly.

That longing never left me.

Here in Stoughton, our kids don’t have anywhere in town that offers them a safe, healthy, and supervised space to gather, grow, and just be kids. Since the pandemic, we’ve all gotten used to staying still—sitting in our homes, our cars, our offices—until stillness became normal. But being alive isn’t about being still. It’s about moving. It’s about connecting. It’s about giving ourselves and our children something to be excited for.

The truth is, nobody gets excited anymore. The biggest “new thing” in town is a car wash. And while I’m glad for every business that opens here, I believe Stoughton deserves more.

Mystic Skate is born from that belief.

This project isn’t about money. It isn’t about adding another line to a resume. It’s about vision. It’s about daring to dream of a place that sparks joy, energy, and belonging. A place where kids beg their parents to take them, where families make memories, and where adults can shake off the weight of responsibility for a night and rediscover the magic of movement, music, and humanity.

I’ve chosen to live with a no-fear attitude—to push past the hesitation and doubt that so often holds people back. That attitude has given me a vision: a 15,000-square-foot community space that is more than a rink. It is a hub for health, creativity, and connection. It is a place that makes us feel alive again.

Mystic Skate is more than my dream. It can be our dream, our project, our legacy as a community that dared to create something new. Something we can be transformed by.

I believe in the magic of humanity. I believe in this town. And I believe it’s time to give Stoughton something worth getting up for.

With hope and determination,

Jason Atkins

Founder, Mystic Skate Lodge

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