Year # 2 has started a great saturday BBQ/SSSS. The unofficial caretaker of Pier Park (Mike Swim) has the saturday session rolling again. So bring your meat and pads and take a dip in the deep end with the grown-ups, but most of all bring your meat skills. Swims Saturday Skate Session (Pier Park)

Zac Mckenzie loops the capsule in Gold Beach, Oregon. Short clip after the jump. – Thanks to Sam at SkateOregon.com for the tip.

Spohn Ranch has begun building a new skatepark in the Dalles, OR. It’s a small 7,500 square foot street spot type park that will be 100% poured in place concrete. I don’t know how this one got past all the Northwest companies, but you know what they say about spilt milk. Catch some renders of the park after the jump. UPDATE: I forgot to include the renders, but I’ve added them.. – Thanks to VInce Onel for the tip.

At long last we’re finally shipping some substandard manufactured goods to China instead of receiving them. The Fanling Vert Ramp in Hong Kong being perpetrated by American Ramp Company. It’s prefab concrete, which I gotta say kind of makes sense to me. I mean, if you’re going to build a concrete vert ramp, prefab might be the way to go since uniformity is more desirable than creative artistry, assuming they have the skills to set it up right. Look at the size of those vert panels. This thing looks like a beast, although at that height it’s going to seem narrow. – Thanks to Chad Balcom for the tip.

Commonwealth Skateboarding in Portland is having it’s grand opening on Saturday, February 26th. Doors open at 3, product giveaway at 6, photography show by Bryce Kanights, Jon Humphries and Garric Ray. The website has been updated with hours and price structure. Check out Skate Daily for some more background on Commonwealth. Flyer after the jump. [Source: EPM]

SE Portland has a new spot in the works called Commonwealth Skateboarding. Yes, it’s going to be pay-to-play, but it’s also indoors and concrete. I haven’t seen it in person but I hear it’s comparable in size to BSSS. Who is behind it? Check out Sherkowski Daily for the scoop or visit the Facebook page. Meanwhile, Grover gained entrance and shot some work in progress.

The Benton County Skateboarding Alliance is looking art to show and sell at the forth Annual Art & Music Benefit to raise money to improve the Eric Scott McKinley Skatepark in Corvallis, OR. They’re currently raised about 10% of their 90k goal, so there’s a ways to go. I’m pleased to say that I’m already prepared to send a few things.

The Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark are trying to raise money for a free public skatepark. One of the things they’ve organized is an entry into the Pepsi Refresh project, a very clever public relations scheme that still ultimately does do a lot of good for the public. Thing is, they don’t just give it away to anyone, they put it to a vote. What I want you to do is visit the project page and vote, it won’t cost you a nickel, and they’ve got a real chance to win. They’re ranked 16th right now. Andy MacDonald hailed from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and he graciously appeared in the projects YouTube video. Those other guys look familiar too… Check it out after the jump., but don’t forget to vote! I think you can vote once a day in December. (That being said, 30k to finalize a skatepark design? You guys need to find a good design/build firm to comp that design fee. Our readers can recommend a few…

The new skatepark for the city of Lafayette, CO is having a grand opening on December 11th, at noon, although I hear there has already been a soft opening. Check some more pictures on the Facebook page.. It seems like Team Pain owns the state of Colorado these days.

Congratulation to friend of the site Stephanie Murdock, who was just was named a Baltimore Community Fellow, an award that comes with a hefty grant that she plans on using to help raise more money for Skatepark of Baltimore. This is an interesting twist on skatepark fundraising, based on her plans to develop a new skatepark as a place to positively influence at-risk youth through facilitating positive interactions and mentoring at a new skatepark-based community. At least that’s how I understand it, you can read more at the Baltimore Sun. BTW – The congratulations are for being a friend of the site, not for winning an award… [Photo: Jed Kirschbaum, Baltimore Sun]