Portland’s Ed Benedict skatepark is nearing completion. About two weeks to go according to the boss man on site. Poachers have been a problem so a security guard has been hired. Almost all the concrete has been poured, save about half of the short halfpipe section and a small part of a bank. There’s a lot of granite yet to be installed. It looks pretty amazing. I was overwhelmed when I was on site taking the pictures. Now that I’ve had a night to sleep on it, there’s only a few things that I would take issue with. Mind you, I haven’t ridden it yet. At one of hte entrances to the park there is a really nice looking wedge bank, but it looks like it’s not placed in a very practical spot for hitting both sides. Also, the rest of the banks could use a little variety as them seem to all be essentially the same pitch. Still, there are ledges galore and stairs and rails and gaps. Yes, there is already a line of guys camped out waiting to hit that launch ramp transfer. Portland’s first street plaza is sure to be a hit. Built by California Skateparks and designed by New Line.

Check out the gallery. (Ported from old timey static HTML)

If you hear the words “foam” and “skatepark” together, you’d probably think of one of those tick learning pits, not a skatepark construction. I wouldn’t believe it if someone told me about it, but here are the pictures. Apparently, it’s common practice to use styrofoam (or some kind of poly foam) for fill in skateparks in Sweden. I don’t have any details besides these few pics from Placed to Ride, who were applying the theory to a skatepark in Gothenburg, Sweden. The building blocks can be seen here, and the finished result here. I guess it works. If anyone can explain the how and why, I’m all ears.

Joseph Brown sent in some pictures of the Coos Bay, Oregon skatepark under construction. Yowza! It looks like a deep one. More pics after the jump.

This week’s Shot of the Week was sent in from Kasey “KC” Stevenson, the same gal who suggested the Chicks with Sticks gallery. Turns out she was talking about girls, you know, actually skating. This is a close up of a shot from Randy’s old bowl in Valley Forge, PA. I guess the spot is dead now. You can vote for her pictures over at a site called Girls Learn to Ride. Don’t forget to check out the uncropped version of the Shot of the Week.

Seattle keeps tearing them down! Alternatively famous sex advice columnist Dan Savage is covering the death of the “Wall of Death” skate spot online for The Stranger. He’s documenting his correspondence with the city and the bureaucratic responses. Check out the hatefully crude skate stoppers!

– Thanks to Adam Shahan for the tip.

You’ve all heard of the Goofy vs. Regular foot contest, but here’s an amusing twist. Skatepark of Baltimore “Baggy vs Tight” Skate Contest at the “Pants Ramp.” On Sunday, October 5th The S.O.B. held a skate contest on the pants ramp, Baggy pants skaters vs. Tight pants skaters. They had heats and eliminations narrowing it down to five riders representing each side then they squared off for the best run. The video is mostly useful for getting a look at the Pants ramp that was “accidentally” torn down by city officials. They must have got it put back up.

– Thanks to Stepahanie Murdock for the tip.

We’ve posted about Nau clothing before. Then they closed up shop. Well they were bought by Horny Toad clothing company who relaunched the company seemingly with the core principles intact and apparently a desire to appeal to skateboarders. I’m surprised those pants don’t have deeper pockets.

13 Cenral Florida News reports that 13 year-old Keith Baldassare established a new world record and raised money for Grind For Life by breaking the old Guiness Record of 46 consecutive ollies.

Photos: Skateparkoftampa.com and Kelly Lambert for the Athens Banner Herald

Deckstool (sounds like something you might have to ollie over at Burnside) has a really cool design for recycling busted skateboards into furniture. They will even make you one out of your own broken decks. Looks like a cool craft project but maybe your time is worth more than $300. That skateboard truck is a nice touch.

I almost forgot. I found this via Design Spotter.

Europeskate has a relatively new feature called “Beauty of the Month” and they are encouraging “models” to drop by for a photo session. A gal just wrote us and and suggested a “Chicks with Sticks” gallery. I’m not sure if she meant actual skate photos or what, but I can tell you there will be no “dropping by for a photo session” at the Skate and Annoy studios as I’m already unemployed and I don’t need any extra grief on the home front. Check out Europeskate’s Beauty of the Month.

[Photo: Matt Ewing]