Skaters for Portland Skateparks

Five down, fourteen to go. Portland’s Ed Benedict skate plaza opened to the public last weekend with little fanfare but a lot of enthusiasm. Designed by Newline Skateparks and built by California Skateparks the plaza-style park features a variety of bank, ledge and gap terrain and a miniramp-style section at one of the entrances. Dan Garland designed several skateable art obstacles under the concept Tread Lightly. The design also includes stormwater treatment features incorporated as gaps.

The facility is located at Ed Benedict Park in SE Portland at about 109th and SE Powell Blvd.

Thanks to Rich Burton of Earth Patrol Media for the photo.

I rode without a helmet today. The weather was beautiful so I went to Pier Park. I swept out the big bowl and then went to put on my pads and realized I had left my helmet at home. Since it would have taken me an hour to get home and back, I decided to skate without it. I had a good session.

This evening I came across a sad news story from New Zealand about a kid suffering a fatal head injury after riding a skateboard down a hill. We hear about these once in a while, it happens. A helmet would probably have saved him.

Our condolences to his family. Wear your helmet. Teach your kids to wear their helmets.

Lots of cool stuff going in at the Ed Benedict site. Here are a few shots of the half-pipe in the rain. Still not open.

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Skate and Annoy and Earth Patrol Media both have October 23rd photos of the progress on Ed Benedict.

Lots of progress on Ed Benedict skate plaza as of October 14th. More photos over at Skate and Annoy.

California Skateparks is making good progress on the Newline Skateparks Ed Benedict project.

More phone cam shots at Skate and Annoy.

This news is a couple of weeks old but the fourth of our planned 19 Portland Skateparks has opened. Gabriel Park Follows Pier Park, Glenhaven and Holly Farm. Skaters are loving the modified snake-run design by Airspeed. It’s a good addition to the mix of terrain available in Portland. Still looking for a covered skatepark and a plaza design, oh, and a ditch simulation, roman style pool, left and right kidneys, big vert ramp….

More coverage on Skate and Annoy and Earth Patrol Media.

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Airspeed gave us a preview of the Gabriel Park skatepark today. Its super fun and sure to be popular. Opening is slated for July. Click to see it bigger

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Rich over at Earth Patrol Media has posted recent photos of the Airpeed Skateparks at work on the Gabriel Park snakerun. Getting close!

Earth Patrol has some pics of the progress on Airspeed’s Gabriel Park skatepark. Looking good and the pour seems to be moving right along. Yeah!

Meanwhile word is that Ed Benedict has been delayed as additional funds are sought to expand the original budget so they can build a bigger park.. Parks hopes to break ground in June.