April 2007
editorial
Skateboarding + Roses in my blood.
City of Portland Half Way There.
I am not sure how to write about Portland concrete parks. The history of Portland and skateboarding is deep and threaded many ways. On a bigger picture Portland contributions to skateboarding are raw and very important. On a local level I don't think the decades of non-action (and sometime hostility) by the City to the skateboarding community has been rightly addressed. Satiation will come with legalized skateboarding and a concrete park in downtown. Because skateboarding was legalized in Portland in 2000, we're half way there. (And it's fun as hell to tear across town without worry.)
It's 2007 and Portland has two public, city-built parks (Glenhaven and Pier), one independent, guerilla-built park (Burnside), and one private commercial park (Department of Skateboarding). The massive full pipe at Pier Park is one of Dreamland's finest built structures to date. Pier has a solid street section and an excellent rideable art / sculpture installation, Walkwave by Adam Kuby, too. Glenhaven opened next to Madison High School and just a skate away from the MAX line to terrific reception. It is a busy and diverse park. Burnside continues to be as vital as ever and its standing example continues to influence a generation world wide. Burnside is the Johnny Cash of urban civics. Department of Skateboarding is a popular indoor commercial park that has been open quite a few years.
A stream of concious list of influences on my experience with skateboarding and Portland do not end with my brother, Chapman, Danny Sargent, Rebel Skates, downhilling, Mapes, Cal Skates, Burnside Project, strawberry Quik and Jolt, Rat Banks, Vista and Montgomery, Andy Love, City Skates, Paul Fujita & Justin Hindry, Sage Bolyard, Palace Skateboards, Red, Osage Buffalo, Peter Hewitt, Brent Atchley, XT Wheelz, Rollerblades, Steelbridge Skatepark, Mayor Bud Clark whoop whoop, Mayor Katz & Francesconi, $360 fines, parking garage downhills, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Kennedys, Charlie Hale, Rod Wotanik, Paul, Jon, Geoffery Logan, Couch Park, Tim Plumb, Christian Nelson, Chris and Victor Ackerman, Stuart Marso, The Decker Family, The Pierettis, Oscar Li, Talent, Lincoln City, skateboarding legalized, Tom Miler, Kent Dahlgren, Brad, D.E. May and Island Salem, Karl Hubble, Audrey, Kate, Mt Tabor, Pier Park, Jereme Axlerod, Daddies Board Shop, Exit Realworld, Mrs. A's, Tri-Met and bus 15 (formerly 51?), Cal's Pharmacy, 720, that dude on inline skates that rode Burnside crazily what's his name, MM Skateboards, Andrew Usher.