AMHERST, NY- With a cut of the ribbon seven years of ups and downs culminated in the Alix Rice Peace Park.

"Amherst has been in desperate need of a skate park for so many years. To stand here and be able to say, 'we did it, we were able to build Amhert's first skate park," said Tammy Scheuler.

But for Tammy Scheuler the skatepark came at a price that no mother should have to pay. Scheuler's daughter 18-year old Alix Rice was killed by a drunk driver in July 2011.

She was riding home late at night when she was hit by a car driven by Dr. James Corisanti. Corisanti was found guilty of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and sentenced to one year in jail.

While the verdict and sentence spurned outrage in the community, Schueler decided to turn her pain into something that would best honor her daughters memory. So, with the help of friends she created the Alix Rice Peace Park Foundation and all the pieces fell into place.      

 "The total cost of the park we're sitting at just over $500,000 and that consists of a grant from New York State, from the Tony Hawk Foundation from monies raised throughout the community, over $200,000 in in-kind donations, and contractors doing labor at no-charge and at cost. It's really been a little bit of everything that's put the park together," said Scheuler.

The 10,000 square feet concrete park located on the Northtown Recreation complex has deep bowls, railing, steps, and everything skaters and bikers love.

"I've been skateboarding ever since I was a kid and I never had an opportunity for something like this. So, to see this come into development is huge for me and everybody in the Town of Amherst and Buffalo," said skater Jay Park.     

While the pain of Alix's loss still runs deep Scheuler says she just happy skaters now have a safe place to enjoy themselves.

“I couldn't tell you there's not a minute that goes by where I'm not heartbroken and missing my daughter. but this is really a happy ending to a tragic story," said Tammy Scheuler.