Seattle Center skatepark under construction 1

Seattle Center Skatepark breaks ground

I was in the Seattle burbs over the weekend. I did get in a couple sessions at the Sammamish Wa skatepark, which was overrun by scooters and bladers on both occasions. That park sucks. I think I was way to generous in my first review. Still, part of the fun in that park is figuring out how to have fun at that park. One day I happened to be in the neighborhood of the the new Seattle Center skatepark (replacement for the demolished SeaSk8) so I decided to check it out. So far it’s just a flat slab of concrete, which is not what I expected at all. It makes it look like the elements are going to be prefab. But hey, I don’t know anything about skatepark building, except that the only other street plaza I saw under construction still looked like a conventional dig site. There were a couple of guys there who looked like they were painting a ledge that went around the perimeter of the park, something that doesn’t show up in the renderings. All in all, I’m confused. You can check out some not very enlightening photos after the jump, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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Discussion

16 thoughts on “Seattle Center Skatepark breaks ground

  1. Hey, just fyi, these photos are not particularly enlightening.

  2. Slitburn on April 6, 2009 - Reply

    If I look at it sideways it has a lot of vert.

  3. jake"fatman"ferranti on April 6, 2009 - Reply

    really,randy, you could have warned it in the post above. these pictures are not enlightening.
    it was kind deceptive to say they would enlighten.
    i think someone needs to go back to school and really learn the definition of the word enlightening so they can use the word within its context…..

    enlightening.

  4. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. bobcat on April 6, 2009 - Reply

    thanks for the call again, Randy!

    Internet BFFs no more?

    did you know that instead of constantly bitching about the sammammish park there’s a way more fun one at carnation a mere 4 miles east? and 4 miles north of that is duvall. making fun of that place is like putting a boot clamp on a kid with a wheelchair.

    those photos are about as fun as the parks going to get.

  6. Dang. I knew you’d have something to say Bobcat. OK, next time I go to the skatepark with my niece and nephew I’ll call you up. Maybe you could help unload the scooters, and deflect some of the whining.

    Carnation is not 4 miles east, not even as the crow flies. I went there once from Sammamish. My total time allotment for skating would have been taken up by the drive alone.

    No, no thank you, I’ll stick to bitterly complaining about Sammamish instead. My inlaws live about 5 minutes from the suck.

  7. bobcat on April 6, 2009 - Reply

    From downtown Sammammish take 8th east. north on 244th hwy 202 (redmond fall city), bang a right then look for a left about 1/2 a mile to Tolt River road. that takes you right next to the school / skatepark. maybe 4.2 miles.

  8. Just wanted to help clarify what you saw at the Seattle Center Skate Park construction site. The park is being built up from the ground, since there are mechanical and catering facilities for KeyArena just below the ground. Right now the construction team is water proofing all of the surfaces so that there will be no leaks into the basement below (probably what you thought was painting). You’re correct that the walls don’t appear in the renderings, since they’ll be below the skating grade once the surface is built up. No pre-fab in this skate park, just a lot of extra effort given the surrounding realities.
    Deborah, Seattle Center

  9. bobcat on April 7, 2009 - Reply

    Deborah,

    any insight why you didn’t listen to the skateboarders for this ‘replacment’ of the old seask8? And why didn’t you have any plans for handling the displaced crowds over the last 2 years?

  10. Thanks for clearing that up Deborah, I knew there had to be more than met my eyes.

  11. bobcat on April 7, 2009 - Reply

    I cant wait to drop a big stinky shit right in the middle of that fucking abortion.

  12. grindline got the build contract.. going onsite today to check it out ! yep stuff is being created just behind closed doors or in buildings in the design sf of the park!! Food for thought, chew on that one.

  13. There’s a nasty rumor floating around Lower Queen Anne that they will be charging admission to skate the new park in Seattle Center. Does anyone know if that’s true at all?

  14. aaron on May 4, 2009 - Reply

    That’s not true according to SPS. There is a gate or admission booth for the festivals. If you want to share some other rumors you could say, for example, “I heard it’s full pads required, including wrist!” Or “I heard it’s bikes only every other day!” Or “Fuckin’ Bam and Hawk are gonna be at the grand opening!” Or “I heard it’s just gonna be a flat slab painted like a tennis court.”

    I’m so ready for this park to get done so people will STFU already.

  15. bobcat on May 4, 2009 - Reply

    SPS doesn’t know their ass from a hole in the ground – which is what this 1.2 million dollar foam filled piece of shit ISNT.

    JMeer – wanna know bullshit? Grindline can’t alter ANYTHING. Nothing….. Not even “hey, Tedders coping is twice as cheap as the California BS coping spec’d out here so lets save some money”.

    It will be a great place for hacky sacking and belly dancing in the summertime though.

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