Meanwhile, closer to home. There’s a benefit BBQ this Saturday the 7th for the Brooklyn Street Skate Spot in Portland. I have to admit I chuckled when I first heard there was a benefit for this tiny spot. This picture is old, actually, but I just heard they’ve hit a snag. The original organizers were engaging the community, taking it somewhat slow. Apparently some individuals decided to kick it into overdrive without scoping out the situation, allegedly tearing up sidewalks (?) and as a result the cops (who were already in the loop) shut it down and the whole thing needs permits now. Pretty much all of the neighbors are on board except for one business owner, who appears to prefer broken glass, garbage and the occasional syringe to pastoral scenes like a mother reading a book on the steps while her son skates, nearly a week after the spot first appeared. True story.
Flyer after the jump. No alcohol please, they’re trying to present a positive image to the neighbors and the city.
16 comments
davoud
not that i know anything other than i was there one day for 20 minutes, but it appeared that the sidewalk had been there before the RR tracks were built, which was weird, since who woulda thunk anything in portland or any other large city would have been there before rails were laid. i guess RR right of way trumps all. anyway sick spot 5 blocks from colin’s house. keep it up, maybe i can find a line once the snake run around the tree gets finished…
Damienhialation
Love this spot and so close to home. Woot! If I can help out, gimme a call.
Jesse McDowell
why tear it down when we can just build more for people to sled
egbert
Yeah, that kid killed it. I’ll edit up the footage and try to get something done by Monday.
michael
You might as well tear it down now. I think mason merlino killed it today. Sick spot by the way! “colinside”?!
ssk
How is that working? Did they say it was OK but you just need a building permit?
bt
i’ll be there…
colin
now now… everything is fine and this is a collaborative effort. – straight miscommunication.
jesse and i blew out the spot (see Facebook) – so everything is fine. it actually got me off my ass to takes the steps towards a permit anyway…
i’m taking a different approach on this “DIY” spot and wanted to invite everyone to skate to help make it obvious how good it could be for the local SE community (versus what’s there now)
. i think i have my ducks in a row and i’ve done my homework – i’m hoping this becomes a place where everyone can contribute and make a sick little spot.
Rita Leonard
Trying to get hold of Colin Sharp for interview, to write an article on updates to the Brooklyn Street Skate Spot for The Bee newspaper. Is this you?
bt
are you guys planning on, in the future, making that whole little grassy entire area a nice little park?
kevin
portland rules!
PDXSkater
Props to Colin and Jesse for putting a lot of money and effort in to this spot for everyone in Portland. It’s a pretty big bummer that people decided without asking to remove the majority of the sidewalk! Good thinking on that one guys!
Now we have to all hope that the spot will actually be able to stick around for a while. Have those guys heard the term, ‘baby steps?’ I have to say to that the guys that removed the sidewalk are pretty ‘hesh’ guys and I never would have guessed a little rough pavement would get under their skin like that.
hairybelli
It was a big miscommunication. Don’t jump to conclusions and claim the people who did the sidewalk didn’t know what they were doing. Jesse was talking about how that was the next step he was planning on doing, but with a mini tractor. He made it sound like the permit was already done, and so the people who did that were just jumping on the opportunity to help. If you don’t want people contributing to the process, don’t brag about how many new ideas you have, because people will take action.
colin
hairybelli please see my comment below – there is no more arguing over the foul called by the other player – we’ve moved on and are going to make a sick spot!
hairybelli
good call
Peter Whitley
Certainly invite the hold-out business owner to the event and let him (or her) witness the positive, pro-community event.
That spot looks super fun, too!