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FROM THE BOARD
2008: An Important Year for Portland’s Skaters
January 15th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
why on earth is there no covered skatepark in one of the rainiest places in america?
January 25th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
that is exactly what i have been wondering for years. in one of the rainiest states in the U.S. we dont have any fun indoors activities. an indorr skate park for portland would be fantastic. not only for the local skaters but for the youth of portland who with lack of something better to do, get into trouble. i would be totaly willing to help get an indoor skatepark running for oregon youth!!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Why cover Pier? I agree we need a covered park, but not Pier. It is in an isolated part of town, and not easily accesible from public transportation. Also, the majority of the park is a giant bowl that most skaters in Portland don’t even skate. I would estimate less than 100 Portland residents session the fullpipe regularly. You guys should work on building and covering a centrally located park that has more diverse terrain. If people are hyped on Glenhaven, you guys need to push to cover that instead.
February 10th, 2007 at 1:45 am
What about love for local businesses like DOS? Dept. is covered, it may not be free, but it’s a safe place to hang out, not to mention that it also has a staff on site. I still love the idea of covering a park, perhaps similar to lincoln city’s cover.
February 13th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
DOS is geekin it. we need some covered crete.
February 14th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
geekin it? What exactly is that???
I wasn’t against covering a concrete park. I was just saying the portland is not without a covered park. You should be so grateful, I have to drive 2-3 hours on rainy days.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
justin your an idiot
February 16th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
dont cover pier,
February 18th, 2007 at 11:59 am
*you’re an idiot…learn to spell.
February 24th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
cover pier and all of the other skateparks in oregon as well oregon needs more cover on there skate parks
February 24th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
cover pier
February 24th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
cover it
February 24th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
cover them all
February 24th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
hell yeah do it do it do it
February 24th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
We have had a lot of wet days lately. We definitely need some indoor ’crete. C’mon, we’re jonesing!
February 28th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I just don’t understan how these builders can have such a great understanding of transition, but can not get a fucking clue when it comes to concrete street sections.
March 10th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I like to skate outdoors. Any skatepark inside has to be monitored. Just covering a park won’t keep the rain out. We need a greenhouse type structure so that you can get the sense of skating outside but still stay dry when it rains. I think that this would be the solution to having a public skatepark inside without having to monitor it. Think outside the box and you may end up with something better than everything that has been done already. Maybe we could get a airplane hanger donated and relocated to a public skatepark! Keep up the good work everybody!
March 14th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Dont cover pier park Its not worth it. Save that money tell all the parks are built then decide witch one to cover. Peir would be the worst park to cover. Waste of money hands down.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:25 am
ummm…..burnside?
April 11th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
dude, old dude that would be sick…you totally got me thinking out of the box about making the skate park into a means of sustainability, you could plant flowers on the roof and have a community garden or something, but keep the graffiti and the urban flow to it, totally keep the art work of the skateparks it could complete the circle nicely bringing together the community, the skaters and the idea of looking out for oneonther, i love the feeling of skateboarding!
April 23rd, 2007 at 12:29 pm
there’s already 3 covered parks in portland and like 10 throughout the whole state
April 23rd, 2007 at 8:41 pm
yeah but burnside isnt even supposed to be there. dos you still have to pay for and is really limited. everything is small and boring.
April 25th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
DOS! covered. Rad.
Pier. Dont cover!
why cover a concrete park?
espescially one like pier.
its good and all. great even.
but why cover it?
April 26th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Corvallis park is partly covered by the overpass, and that strip remains dry even in harsh rain. Simply covering a park might not keep it 100% dry, but it is good enough.
Department is cool, if you are sponsored and can get in after hours, otherwise you’re fighting with all the other skaters who are all stressed about the rain. Not to mention it’s pretty spendy.
April 28th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Cover Glenhaven. Sick sick sick.
April 30th, 2007 at 9:11 am
Clatskanie is an ok course that is covered in like a hanger type arch tent over it. It stays pretty dry during the rain and snow!!!
We went there a couple times this last winter and had fun. Its about an hour drive from Portland.
Check it out sometime on the way to the beach.
Peace
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:30 pm
SPS is committed to seeing public skateparks covered and lighted because skateboarding should be freely accessible to all throughout the year. DOS is a great spot and an important contribution to the local skate scene, but of course it’s not free. (For the record, the DOS crew has always actively supported SPS, for which we have always been thankful.)
When the city’s skatepark committee was active - and I was a member - there was unanimous agreement among membership that one skatepark in each of the five sections of town (N, NW, NE, SE, SW) should be covered and lighted for year-round access. It’s important to remember that skaters comprised a minority of committee membership. The majority were non-skaters who represented neighborhood interests. They came to understand the value of freely-accessible skateboarding year-round.
As for covering Pier vs. Glenhaven, etc. obviously everybody will have an opinion. Per the committee’s recommendation, the plan should be to cover and light both. But that will take motivation at Parks and City Council that currently does not exist. Frankly, the skate community (you) needs to articulate the need for a year-round accessible facility to get the first one done.
In the near-term, SPS is probably inclined to support covering Glenhaven first because, as noted in earlier comments, it is more centrally located - and thus more accessible to more skaters - than Pier. The fact that fewer people skate the big walls and full pipe is not a compelling argument; everybody should have access to skate all types of terrain.
History is pretty clear that skaters skate what is available. To argue over distinct types of terrain is an incredible luxury any skater over 25 can hardly fathom since the older set, as groms, was forced to skate curbs, ditches, DIY jump ramps, literally anything. The Pier locals who had previously never even seen a skateable full pipe are now in there making turns beyond vert. It’s their neighborhood park and I guarantee Pier will produce some vert rippers. Most skatepark veterans call Pier’s big bowl the best big bowl in the country. It’s all skateboarding, it’s all good, and all types of terrain should be freely accessible to skate all year. That’s what SPS stands for.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:52 am
the new park is so tight but u cant get a run its so packed all day
July 5th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
You know what, fine….Cover a few parks..
….then COVER YOUR MOUTHS…
Then Nuke the gresham park off this
shitpiss, we call earth.
July 7th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Hopefully Dreamland gets the bids on the park designs with good street sections. They did a really good job on the street section at Battle ground. More skate parks need to be like that one with bigger street items and just as smooth.
August 29th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Tom Miller Said: “History is pretty clear that skaters skate what is available. To argue over distinct types of terrain is an incredible luxury any skater over 25 can hardly fathom since the older set, as groms, was forced to skate curbs, ditches, DIY jump ramps, literally anything.”
Well-said, Tom!
September 10th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Hello our name is the boyz ….I’m from Minneapolis MN….But We attend Chemawa boarding school….And we was wondering if u knew any place in Portland that would donate any ramps or anything unused anymore……that we skaterz can use….We Live for skating!!! We would really appreciate it if u would show or donate anything!
Thank you!
Sincerely the skater boyz
September 11th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
The Northwest is one of the wettest, coldest and allergy infested areas in the United States. We have covered and indoor parks for every other sport… The Rose Garden for basketball and football… high school gyms… gymnastic arenas…. etc… WHY IS THERE NOT A COVERED SKATEPARK IN PORTLAND???? This is ridiculous. People in Portland always carry an umbrella…. why not help the kids out and give them a permanent umbrella to skate under. Show them that they’re doing something good and you appreciate it. Instead of them vandalizing, stealing, skipping school or doing drugs they’re skating and learning to control their movement and behavior with friends… reward them for doing good.
September 23rd, 2007 at 6:11 am
Pier Park is pretty much all bowls. We should cover a park thats got street stuff. Plus pier just sucks anyway, dont cover it cover something else.
October 9th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Hey Chris…
Why would you say Pier Sucks. That is dumb. Your just like the rest of the kids that are complaining about the parks they are putting in. What you cant skate tranny? Well you better learn because it is taking over the world. HAHAHAHAHAH………
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:26 pm
You guys know about dept. right? I mean you have to pay but w/e.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:22 am
how bout we cover pier because its not used! why spend money on a park thats always dead! cover pier so people will go there! maybe it would give pier a bigger population! COVER PIER
December 14th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
well i think if somebody covers any skatepark we would be really lucky. but for all you portlanders complaining “oh yea we have a covered park but its wood we need concrete” for one dont be a spoiled skater, and 2 we do have a covered concrete skatepark that portland skaters made along time ago, burnside skatepark.
but if someone was to cover a park i think it should be glenhaven because glenhaven has the widest variety of things to skate where as pier is mostly vert.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:07 am
we need a skatepark for parkrose high school
February 28th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
copy bonser park (canada) and put it at parkrose high
March 13th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
why dont you all consider convering all the parks. then everyone will be happy, no problems, no wetness, more skating, more shredding. lights under the covers as well, then you can skate 24/7 365. thats what im talking about.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I am a skater from So Cal of the late 70’s and I am very impressed with what OR has done to bring back the parks.Nothing can ever compare to the parks we had then but that was a different time and place, Now as far as covering a park, it is the most practical thing to do but I think we should look at some thing that is not fixed into place, maybe retraclable or removeable. On a side note the youth need to realize that its a privilege to have these parks and it pisses me off when I see these punks throwing there trash and crap all over the place, I spend a good amount of time cleaning before I skate my park ( glenhaven) as do a few others so do your part and put it where it belongs be fore you lose it like other states have done like in Utah because the got tired of spending money for the clean up.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
GLENHAVEN NEEDS A COVER AND LIGHTS!!!
June 19th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Covering Pier would be sick! DOS is wack though, Im a blader and last time I checked they only let bladers in at certain times and days. Pier Park is sick though, I went for the first time since they remade it like 3 weeks ago and loved it. The street course is hella sexy.
July 13th, 2008 at 12:48 am
HURRY UP AND MAKE ED BENNIDICT PARK!!!!PLEASE!!!!
July 19th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
i dont see the point in covering pier, its way deep.
i would say cover half of glenhaven, because it is nice to skate in the sun when its nice out, so if they threw a cover over the medium bowl and the tight wall it would be ideal.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:16 am
I need to find a way to cover up Astoria Park, i mean theres no covered parks close to me up here…
September 28th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Glenhaven needs cover. It the best in Portland. And I agree with ^^^^^
October 18th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I know lots of people who would got to a skate park at Berry dale . It would be the perfect palce to put a covered skate park at because there are already trees there and it would not be hard to poot one in. plus i know so many people who want on there and would be willing to help build or anything!!
December 4th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
for all the people saying be thankful because the people back in the day had to skate everything DIY…… FUCK YOU. this isnt 1970 anymore. if the city doesnt want to cover parks or help, then they can count on more thrashed ledges and rails.
MAKE A COVERED STREET PARK COURSE. there is no awesome street course park in portland. some are ok, but none are awesome.
December 4th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
for you people wanting a partial cover???? are you dumb?
there is too much rain with wind, that would never work. use some common sense. it either has to be all or nothing with some walls to keep the wind from bringing water in.
December 8th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
what about skatechurch? dos? And lucky seven? All covered and safe, may not be free but still way worth it!
December 28th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Build and cover a park in NE. The Dept. is all good except the fact that it costs! We need a covered skatepark in NE. Actually we need a skatepark anyway so why not build one near the Rose Garden that’s easily accessible by MAX and Bus.
December 28th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Oh and some lights on it. Also NO COPS and no helmet requirement!
February 18th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
cover it
make somthing scooters are allowed on we are sick of driving for 2 hours looking for a park were scooters are allowed we dont harm the park we are just like the skaters
March 3rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
find a warehouse that is not being used and put fill it full of concrete pieces
April 8th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Yeah not just scooter friendly, but bikes and rollerblades too. I’d have to say that rain wind and light are the least of my concerns. With the money I spend on tickets I could have built my own privet skatepark. I’m tired of being descriminated aginst becuase I have my own sport. Soupport everyone not the sisters, they have been baby’ed too long. Resonal rules like no pegs makes sense. But banning it just becuase were bigger and destroy things easy’er is rediclicious. But cover any park you feel nessesary.
July 13th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Cover Ed Ben!
September 8th, 2009 at 11:19 am
skaters-
covering pier is not the solution. we need to be more creative. a ‘crete design that is meant to be covered and is not an after thought. an integration of architecture, light, concrete, and skateboarding. pier has its own character, that in some respects would be lost if covered. its back to drawing boards on this one ladies and gents, we need integrative design here!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:45 am
we do for sure need a covered park pier come on if were going to cover pier then why dont we just cover all parks or dont cover pier and cover somewhere that we can ride the bus to i have only skated pier 4 times because its so far in the middle of nowhere i have no way to get there give the skaters what they need a place to kick back and and enjoy some gnar shredin where we are not going to get soaked and ruin our skates
January 2nd, 2010 at 7:53 pm
redondo beach california needs a skate park
February 4th, 2010 at 11:47 am
what u guys whining about covering portland gettin 19 parks salem has one shitty park but where happy to be on r way to getting a new one cover is one of r proposed phases
February 12th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Portland needs a covered park that is free and allows bikes. it really sucks waiting around all winter for it to dry up. we live in freaking Portland and no one has a covered park that everyone can go to. I think Glenhaven is the best idea for covering. i like it better because it has more to ride. bowls are lame. And don’t get on me for not skating, i just like bikes better, and i do skate too
April 9th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
COVER BENEDICT ITS THE GNARLIEST PARK SO FAR!!!
May 15th, 2010 at 1:00 am
I think that they should build a indoor skatepark that’s free. A street park with Manny pads, little and big sets, Snake, Definately a pyramid.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
We need a covered park like the old Skate barn that was a sick park with a back wall from this years Tampa Pro that would be fun…..oh and of course Free of cost
December 20th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
I’m a pier local and personally I think covering it would ruin the big bowl in the summer, seems like it would make the bowl all dark unless you had a good light setup which would cost more money. the pipe itself is skateable any day of the week you just have to go down with a t-shirt or towel sometimes. Personally if I had my way they would just cover the medium bowl instead of the whole park. An indoor free concrete park would be ideal in the winter, but their are plenty of private ramps around to be skated…
December 29th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Hello there!
I’m from Italy and I’m planning to come to Portland this year for a 2-week skate trip.
I spent lot of time on internet checking out what town in the world should fit my best skate-trip ever made and .. yes , Portland wins !
So, please, can someone suggest what month should be the best to come there ?
since this trip will cost a lot , I’m trying to find the best conditions.
( I would like to avoid 2 weeks of raining )
I was thinking of May/June .. because flights are way lower than in July/August..
But, can someone please advise on that ?
Many thanks !
Marco.
January 16th, 2011 at 10:31 am
yea come in early june so the kids will still be in school (empty skateparks) and the weather will be good.
February 5th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
4 years of discussion…how do we make this happen? An indoor skatepark in portland just closed down. Vancouver’s indoor park is struggling. Skaters need a place to skate year around! A free indoor park would be sick but nothing in life is free. Are skaters willing to pay for an indoor park, cuz the city won’t. What’s a reasonable price to pay for a few hours of skate?
February 22nd, 2011 at 9:50 pm
for everybody saying”Don’t cover Pier, don’t do it,” you guys need to loosee up, yeah not everybody likes pier but at least they’re covering another park
June 16th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
In the research phase of developing a private indoor park - I wanted to get some opinions on what everyone thinks - ideas? Maybe what people think is a reasonable price to skate? Throw me some ideas! Thanks!
September 4th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
would like to help what can I do. please contact me
April 3rd, 2012 at 4:37 pm
There is some indoor skate parks you just have to look for them, the best one is at Glisan 90th come to its called skatechurch you should go there, its so frikken RAD.
June 29th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
I just moved here. I thought I saw a rec center in Troutdale that gave hints of having an indoor park. Did there used to be one there?