City Skatepark Jihad
posted by on November 1 at 16:48 PM
Seattle’s skater community is about to get fucked, again. The Seattle Center just released a skatepark feasibility study which estimates that replacing the entire Fischer Pavilion site will cost $4.6 million, waaaay more than the $1.2 million currently allocated for the project.
Rather than kill the much-delayed plan for a center skatepark altogether, the Parks Department’s Skate Park Advisory Committee (SPAC) is going to take the hit—as they have a zillion times before—and take a third less space than they were originally supposed to get at the site.
What’s ironic about this latest development, is that if the city had held the Center’s feet to the fire and put the skatepark on Broad Street—like SPAC wanted—they wouldn’t be in this situation. The SeaSk8 skateparkoriginally sat just east of the Center, and was torn down to make room for the Gates Foundation’s new headquarters. Since then, SeaSk8 has been bounced around the city, despite the fact that SPAC has repeatedly cited Broad Street as the optimal location for a new skatepark. However, SPAC has apparently been told that the Broad Street site will not be reconsidered.
Fischer Pavilion is currently divided into two sites—A and B—and most of the duct work from Key Arena’s kitchens runs under site B. Tearing all of those ducts out would be expensive, so the current plan floating around City Hall is to only demolish site A.
Together, sites A and B would’ve given skaters 16,000 square feet of space. Now, they’ll be left with about 10,000 square feet.
Even if the city only builds on site A, they’ll will have to cough up another $800,000, as costs for demolition substantially exceed the $1.2 million that was originally allocated. Again, the city would be paying almost a million bucks more for more than a third less square footage.
SPAC says they can work with the smaller space, but they’re apprehensive about spending $2 million on a skatepark.
SPAC is holding a meeting at 7pm on November 12th at the Seattle Parks Building (100 Dexter Ave) to talk about the newest roadblock to replacing SeaSk8.
So they don't get what they want. Boo Fucking Hoo. Nothing is sillier than a 39 year old skater; and I have seen plenty of these stunted adolesence. Most of us don't have the city building us unique places for us to enjoy our unique activity. You have to be Paul Allen to have the city do that.
Hmmm... Who is the head of the parks committee on the city council? David Della.
Hmmm... Who took the max donation from Vulcan (EMP) for his re-election campaign? David Della.
Hmmm...
I blame the people behind screwing the sk8rs - the Gates Foundation.
This has all the earmarks of an organized campaign to keep them as far away from Bill and Melinda's building as possible.
Not that anyone will admit it.
Oh, and I voted for Della, so I hope he's not trying to kill it, cause this sk8r will be more than miffed.
Spare me from "sk8r", please. It's worse than writing "cum".
Meanwhile, construction of the skatepark in Lower Woodland Park is proceeding apace.
In response to #1's comment:
Don't you ever read the Maui News?! http://www.mauinews.com/letters/2006/10/9/06skate1009.html
I mean, come on!
But seriously, just because you suck at life that doesn't mean others, even at a whopping 39, shouldn't be allowed or have a place to be epic in life.
@1,
You, my friend, are a born douche,
what's your opinion on a 27 year old skater? I dare you to meet me for a drink, and a conversation.
@1 you can suck it. As a 39 year old skater I'll be skating through my 40s and into my 50s. Sometimes I even ride my track bike on the street too.
Masturbation isn't a unique activity and you don't need a facility for that.
Sargon, just because you have a 2 inch dick and fuck horses in Enumclaw doesn't give you the right to trash skaters. "Unique activity"? If you watched something else than Springer on your 10' black and white TV you'll notice it's all over fucking place. Get with the times, sack up and for christs sake, some one give the SPAC a fucking spine.
RE "Most of us don't have the city building us unique places for us to enjoy our unique activity."
Are you kidding, #1?
Seattle Parks and Recreation maintains facilities for tennis, basketball, football, soccer, golf, rowing, sailing... eight indoor pools, two outdoor pools... off-leash areas for dogs... community centers with art studios, pottery studios... theater space... plus LAWN BOWLING (at Woodland Park).
Seattle Parks has 204 athletic fields, 151 outdoor tennis courts, an indoor tennis center, 3 golf courses, more than 60 basketball courts, a variety of places to run & jog and more...
how many of those 204 athletic fields do you see being used daily? tennis courts? harrumph more like ghost courts.
now lets look at the 2007 Sporting Goods Mfr Association (SMGA) statistics:
Name (core participants) definition total participants in '06 (6-year change since 2000)
Adventure Racing (459,000) 2+ 809,000 (no data)
Archery (1,712,000) 25+ 7,497,000 (+14.8%)
Billiards (19,663,000) 13+ 46,990,000 (+3.5%)
Bowling (13,979,000) 13+ 54,305,000 (+4.8%)
Boxing (1,000,000) 13+ 2,072,000 (no data)
Darts (8,586,000) 13+ 22,195,000 (no data)
Golf (17,285,000) 8+ 28,743,000 (+2.4%)
Horseback Riding (3,955,000) 13+ 11,576,000 (no data)
Ice Skating (1,777,000) 13+ 10,578,000 (-18.4%)
Martial Arts (4,744,000) 13+ 6,270,000 (-2.6%)
Roller Skating (1,758,000) 13+ 8,147,000 (-2.5%)
Inline Skating (6,510,000) 13+ 13,069,000 (-43.8%)
Scooter Riding (5,986,000) 13+ 8,495,000 (-23.2%)
Skateboarding (6,748,000) 25+ 11,083,000 (+2.7%)
OTHER SPORTS
Tennis (6,947,000) 13+ 4,714,000 (12.2%)
Baseball (12,175,000) 13+ 16,114,000 (-8.0%)
Basketball (18,761,000) 13+ 24,665,000 (-9.7%)
Football, tackle (5,839,000) 25+ 9,016,000 (+2.1%)
Football, touch (6,667,000) 13+ 11,974,000 (+2.1%)
Soccer, outdoor (8,451,000) 25+ 14,665,000 (no data)
Softball, slow-pitch (5,665,000) 13+ 8,640,000 (-29.9%)
Take out your pay-to-play sports and you'll see that skateboarding is here and here to stay. Just because you suck on a skateboard doesnt have anything to do with it.
And Jonas, please interview actual skateboarders i have extended my hand enough times. As a reporter it is your duty to get the story from all angles. the SPAC has been blowing smoke up your ass.
Unfortunately the city tore down a perfectly good skatepark that was located around the same are for over 10years, and has yet to provide alternative reasonable site or funding.
Spend over 1 million on the land, that should actually build a super park at least 30 to 40 thousand sf. To bad every suburb has a park but Seattle has their head up their ass. Sargon you sound like a washed up skater, dont hate on the kids. Would you rather have a bunch of 39 year old thugs, drug dealers, and theifs ripping you off and causing genreral chaos in socitey because they didnt have a place to skate. Your the 39 year old loser.
you like to skate? move to san jose.
http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/padn/2007-3-5-bcn-skate-park
beat it ya val jerks
From skateportland.org
"Portland is, to our knowledge, the first city in the world to have a comprehensive master plan for skateboard park development. Passed by city council ordinance on August 3, 2005, the plan recommends 3 types of skateparks — 19 in total — 13 neighborhood skate spots, 5 district-wide skateparks, and one central city anchor park."
From wikipedia.com
Portland's (metro area) population: 2,337,565
Seattle's (metro area) population: 3,263,497
Boo.
Jason (aka bobcat) cites some excellent facts above, and builds a strong case for the popularity of skateboarding in Seattle and throughout the country. I also applaud his efforts to work with DIY skatepark campaigns like Marginal Way, which is a great success story.
However, as a person who has not been involved with skate politics in this city since 2005, his ad hominem attacks on the SPAC are uninformed, unfounded, and really just the product of a lasting bitterness that no one really understands anymore. I am not sure what an "actual" skateboarder is, since I merely get on my skateboard and ride it. It rolls, I do some tricks on it, and it is fun. That's what skateboarding has meant to me for the last 20+ years.
Skate politics in Seattle are another story though, and I appreciate the ongoing coverage of SeaSk8 from The Stranger. Thanks Jonah!
I also look forward to tonight's meeting, and to the final reincarnation of SeaSk8. Hope to see y'all at the Center House!
Scott Shinn
SPAC Secretary
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