Skateboard Hill

A skatepark built above an oil pipeline. Only open for 3 weeks.

@bad_arms This park died quicker than William Henry Harrison #skateboarding #teacher #history #skateparks ♬ original sound - Bad Arms

In March of 1977 Kevin Connors, Carl Turner, and Steve Richardson (under the name CTR recreation corp) approached Wichita Falls parks and rec about putting a skatepark in Jaycee Park (now called Lake Wichita Park).

The trio was denied due to high cost of insurance and low likelihood of city involvement. They got a lawyer, obtained a temporary permit from city planning, and built it across the street from the park. According to Connors, no city department heads knew the appropriate procedure for opening a skatepark. It was the first in the area, after all.

In Mid-September 1977, the simple park was built. It started on a 10 foot high hill, had a banked S-turn that ended in a ditch-style bottom section.

The park was built on a four-plot tract of land in a residential area that could not have a house on it because a pipeline owned by Texas Pipeline Co. ran underneath it. CTR didn’t meet platting requirements and the park was shut down.

A week or so later, with appropriate paperwork filed, the park reopened.

By October 2, 1977, it was shut down again. This time because of angry neighbors.

Neighbors had found Skateboard Hill violated a law originally applied to Miniature Golf courses in the 1940’s. The law said the proprietors had to get approval from everyone who lives within 100 ft of the establishment for it to run.

Cranky homeowner Robert Erdman said “If this happens again and another track like this is allowed to open up there, I will sell my property and move.”

Early November 1977, Skateboard Hill was closed and “will not be reopened.”