Whether it’s Love Park, the Brooklyn Banks, or South Bank, its seems that the world’s raddest urban skate oases are constantly under attack by the powers of “progress.” The ultimate irony is that the loss of these places leads to the devolution of a city and the decline of creative urban culture. Please check out this insightful interview with Henry Edwards-Wood who is leading the charge to save South Bank. Go here to get involved. Via Andrew Guan.
Lil Wayne and Mtn Dew opened the DeWeezy aka Trukstop skate park at the Lower 9th Ward Village Community Center this Wednesday with an opening ceremony that included appearances from the Birdman and Juvenile and an epic skate session with Paul Rodriguez, Theotis Beasley, Keelan Dadd, Justin Schulte, Cody Davis, Boo Johnson and Carlos Zarazua. The facility, which was created from recycled materials and features the largest solar powered array in the Gulf, is a bright spot in a neighborhood that still hasn’t fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina. In fact, there are numerous abandoned buildings on the same block as the park. Despite all the skepticism of Wayne’s involvement in skateboarding, it seems clear from this interview with Tim Brodhagen and the fact that he charged the park for almost two hours that he is committed from the heart. You be the judge.
Converse blazed into NYC last weekend for the first ever “City Carnage,” a re-interpretation of their “Coastal Carnage” event series. Tim Brodhagen was there to catch Kenny Anderson, Rune Glifberg, Tom Remillard, Jason Jessee, Sammy Baca, Nick Trapasso, Eli Reed, Mike Anderson, Raymond Molinar and Julian Davidson enjoy the riverside radness of the bowl at Pier 62 skatepark.
In another example of greed overpowering radness, corporate interests are about to shut down Amsterdam’s epic skatepark. You can help the fight to keep the skatepark open by going here and signing the petition. Do it now!
Although the short documentary Brick by Brick: A Documentary on the Bethlehem Skateplaza is not about a gnarly and noble quest to build a skate park in Jesus’s hometown, it is still an uplifting piece about the intersection of civics and skateboarding. Yeah, Pennsylvania has a Bethlehem too. Via Complex.
The Berrics and Skullcandy have team up for a partnership that will include product, content, and the installation of a Skullcandy gaming zone & state of the art recording studio at The Berrics park and offices. Stay tuned for more details on this soon.
Why does it seem like everything is radder in Spain? Cas in point is the ill new Factoria Joven (“youth factory”) skate park in Merida. Designed by José Selgas and Lucía Cano to recall the flowing form of a Chinese dragon and built in only 13 months using inexpensive and lightweight materials, its easily one of the sickest multi-use skateparks in existence. Check out more looks after the jump. Via Designmilk.
To get a leg up for Manny Mania in NYC next weekend, Brandon Biebel has been putting in some serious work at his private skatepark. Actually he may be playing foosball as much as he’s skating, the point is, he’s got his own skatepark. Take a look.
Rune Glifberg talks about Copenhagens newest skatepark at his Silver Anniversary event. Being from Denmark, Rune shares his thought on why this park is so important to him in this cool edit.
