Ray’s Board Shop – Redding
9/7/2024 – So stoked I stumbled across @raysboardshop in Redding. I could have spent all day in there out of the mad
Read More9/7/2024 – So stoked I stumbled across @raysboardshop in Redding. I could have spent all day in there out of the mad
Read MoreI spotted this video just posted up of the Lead Designer at Convic Skateparks in Australia, Simon Bogalo. More than
Read MorePhotography related gear, equipment, art. 1425 SE 20th Ave. , Portland Oregon 6-9 PM
Read MorePortland, Oregon (August 23, 2024) – Day One of the Rockstar Energy Open kicked off with the Men’s and Women’s Video Qualifier
Read MoreView this post on Instagram A post shared by The Skatepark Project (@theskateparkproject)
Read MoreIt’s Rockstar Energy Open week! Swipe to get a first look at our Street and Park courses. Take a look.
Read MoreJoin us Oct 12 ! Gold Rush Classic 2024 ! You know how we roll ! N-Style
Read MoreRIP June 2024 Formerly known as AZ Grind
Read MoreHow long ago did you start skatepark activism? What led you to do it? I am really advocating for kids and for public spaces, as well as dismantling no skateboarding & no scootering policies and laws along the way. I am an elected official, a member of the board of education in my district (Bridgewater-Raritan N.J.) and I chair the parks committee in my town. However, to answer the question: I started hustling skateboarding lessons in New York City in 2003. I was working in NYC at a corporate job. I skated the streets of the city, but I was not really a street skater. I loved skate parks. LES (Coleman Skatepark, Manhattan NY) was going through a bunch of weird evolution and Chelsea Piers opened around that time. I met Adam Ziegler. Adam introduced me to Steve Rodriguez. Steve was trying to save the banks and I wrote stories about it as it was being shut down to renovate the bridge. I also did some charity work with youth programs and local schools that did not have robust physical-ed programs due to having only a blacktop. Did you start the BR Skates Foundation?I founded BR Skates as the pandemic was winding down. I also ran for the Board of Education at the same time. It was imperative that schools never get shut down again. The lack of socialization and physicality in an anxiety driven vacuum of social media addiction had an enormous impact on young children. During that time, the skatepark in Somerville (which was originally a tennis court) was turned into a pickleball court and the same year it became illegal to ride anything on wheels in most public spaces and on sidewalks. There is very little to do in my town (Bridgewater) and the neighboring urban train towns (We used to skate all the towns along the train line and the BMX guys would ride along the tracks to the brick factory) I worked with Bridgewater Recreation to start a skate program and they gave me permits to run the program on a tennis court. During this time I began going to town council meetings to advocate for a skatepark. Are you advocating in New Jersey only or beyond?I say build a skatepark, but really it’s way more complicated. My preference is multiuse recreational spaces. I think of the U.N. Plaza as I say this. (the first video that got me mad hate from the skate community) As I began doing pop-up demo/contest events in towns all over Somerset County, kids from neighboring towns were begging me to help them build a skatepark. This is where it gets complicated. Most municipalities (all over the country) are in deep financial straits as a result of the pandemic. This makes them vulnerable to “revitalization” or redevelopment – aka gentrification. Revitalization is often a situation where developers want to build apartments, medical complexes or warehouses. But they don’t want to pay taxes, so they offer municipalities large sums of money over a period of time called “PILOT” Payment in lieu of taxes. To appease the public, they offer to build recreational facilities as part of the development… pickleball courts, playgrounds, and even skateparks.. But we don’t want those skateparks. These urban towns are most vulnerable. This kind of development creates highly dense populations. Lots of people and cars, but no bike lanes. It also wipes out skate spots and skateparks (Oakland is an example) It is imperative to skateboarding that we advocate for the consideration of skateboarding in redevelopment, but we have to get creative about it. It’s happening whether we like it our not. DIY and Traditional skateparks work in “forgotten areas”, but not in redevelopment. We really have to reimagine skate spaces. For example, start thinking about vertical environments, like the top of parking garages. Along trail systems – especially trails that connect neighborhoods. Even simple additions as a skate bench on a basketball court or a municipal parking lot (doing this in Raritan N.J.) In order to preserve skateboarding in urban areas (especially with modern day surveillance), skatepark features have to integrate as a part of urban design. Something to think about… You are pretty upset with pickleball for taking over skateparks, do you think tennis players were pissed when all these skateparks took over the tennis courts? HAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!
Read MoreRed Bull Bowl-B-Que is all about a good time with some street, bowl, and pool contests mixed in. Info: Skatepark
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