The news about the new skatepark design meeting in Tampa got me thinking about the Bro Bowl. Ages ago I posted about a Bro Bowl documentary that was in progress, so I decided to see if anything ever came from it. They finished it, and it’s available for viewing in it’s entirety. The opening sequence starts off a bit rough, but once you get past that, it’s pretty good. Notably missing, however, if an interview with the guy who designed and built the place, Joel Jackson. The Tampa Bay Times interviewed him in conjunction with the Bro Bowl being nominated for the National Register of Historic Places as one of only two 70’s era public skateparks still in existence in the USA. The par was originally surrounded by housing projects, but the whole area is slated for redevelopment. It’s not quite the same situation as Southbank, the redevelopment is in advance of a State of Florida Department of Transportation edict to widen the road adjacent to the skatepark. The city has advised locals to accept a the funding of a replacement park as the best possible outcome, over any temporary reprieve that activism may be able to achieve. The history of the neighborhood is complicated, not everyone (including skaters) want the the bowl saved. The documentary doesn’t really touch on any of this, instead choosing to tell stories about the sessions that went down. So while it’s not super informative, it’s still entertaining. Watch it after the jump.

[Photos: Tampa Bay Times 1, 2 ]

The Formula is a video produced by OC Ramps and starring Dave Bachinsky, who is definitely a mini-ramp champ. Some crazy variations, with a revert everywhere you turn. The only thing Dave missed was airing off the extension onto the adjacent structure. I kept waiting for it but it never came. Shot over 6 months, it features 4 locations, despite the fact that description only claims three. The Berrics was also involved in this project. I hope they appreciate the huge, nay – massive bump in web traffic they will be receiving from that web link. I like to help out the little guys.

– Thanks to Matthijs for the tip.

On this edition of counterfeit skateboards we have a pretty good rip off of a Tony Hawk claw board. In fact, it’s decent enough to fool the casual viewer. When you look at it up close you realize it’s a bit off. The main drawing is inexplicably off center and the tree branches are not as full as the others, even so they don’t extend to the bottom of the deck. Also missing, the Powell Peralta logo under the claw. The shape is pretty similar, actually, but the tail dome and nose guard are stock, and are definitely suspicious. A reader scored this for $5 at a yard sale. I’ve paid more for worse!

– Thanks to Fungandus for the pics

Public meeting to unveil and discuss the proposed design for a new skatepark in Tampa, Florida, to be built by Florida’s own Team Pain. The meeting will be held October 8th, at SPOT.

…just lettin’ it all hang out. She’s a brick, house. Installation by Alex Chinneck. Too bad it’s fenced in. Maybe someone will get a session in before it get’s torn down in about a year.

[Sources: This is colossal, Design Boom] – Thanks to Boy for the tip.

Artist Gerry Judah and Rune Glifberg collaborated on some skateable sculpture as part of an event tied in with… Formula One racing? I thought I heards that somewhere in one of the videos, but I’m not seeing it in any of the articles. So this event has already passed, and there are some videos, part of a 5 part series, but I can only spot 3. It looks pretty cool, although it’s pretty much just a halfpipe that looks like it was squashed and stretched a little. Still, as far as skateable “art” goes, Gerry should be tutoring those guys at Red Bull. The post title? The project was part of something called Burn Yard, a marketing event/effort by Coca Cola’s Burn energy drink.

[Source: Artlyst, Fad] – Thanks to Heath and Boy for the tip.

Park Hill Skates in Denver, Colorado is sponsoring a high jump contest. Of course, it’s cool to call it “hippy jump” now, but come on skateboarders, if you really valued your hipster irony you’d be throwing a barrel jump contest.

Episode #7 of 7 Seconds at Svitak’s features Pat Duffy… killing it. I’m really liking this series.