I think we can be a little more generous to the intentions of the design team… it’s in their best interest for projects to hold-up long-term as well, way after they get their portfolio shots. It sounds like they’ve explored a number of options and made a good-faith effort to find a balance between the integrity of the design and skateboard deterrents.
It’s totally fair to say that they didn’t strike the right balance though. I think you’re right that the vertical portions are still going to be targets. I’m not crazy about the idea of misaligning the concrete segments, but I think integrating a subtle continuous vertical element would’ve been a better direction
Maybe instead of wasting money trying to come up with skate deterrents that won’t work (you think you made it unskateable but skateboarders will then see a different way to use it) how about we start going in the direction that Europe has been going in. In places like Paris, Bordeaux, and Barcelona, they have actively been adding skate obstacles into public parks and around their cities. With skateboarding gaining more and more popularity over the years and with it now being in the Olympics, you will only see more kids/adults picking it up (I have meet many people in their late 20s,30s, and 40s at Apex skatepark who have just started) and as someone who has skateboarded for over 21 yrs, I can assure you that people will find a way to skate there.
Skateboarding started by skating in city streets and in public areas. skateboarders will always be drawn to interesting architecture, I am by no means saying that it is right to skate on public property, but in the skateboard community they will always want to skate a street spot over a generic skate park. For example Marsh Creek skatepark in Raleigh, was labeled a, “certified piece of suck”, by Thrasher Magazine (largest skateboard publication). It is still the only park in Raleigh.
Just my two cents, I’m sure people on here will disagree and I understand that.
Something has to happen to those reclining walls to deter skaters. Please share that concern since you have access to the design team, while others with the same concern do not. Cheers!
Funny you mention this, just yesterday on Sunday I noticed a skate park on Bragg St. Although this isn’t the best example, I agree the city should invest into one of these large attraction sized skate parks that’s free and families can attend, l visit the one in Denver every time I go it’s awesome. I attached pictures of the one off Bragg with a half-pipe and also attached pictures of Denver’s park.
Devereaux Meadows would be ideal - way more accessible to downtown, and right behind Endless Grind, DT Raleigh’s only true skate shop. Hell, they could even partner with the city to develop and brand it!
The photo you posted is Neighbor to Neighbor. Royce Hathcock is the director there and has been building those ramps with his own money/donations for the past 4 years. He does not skateboard but keeps it going for the community. You will usually see it packed with people skating on the regular. My friend Donated the halfpipe in the back a couple years ago and Royce resurfaced the whole ramp recently. Royce is an awesome guy and N2N has been a great contribution to community and not just for what they do for skateboarding.
An illuminated piece of public art called Beacon of Freedom will be built in downtown Raleigh as part of the first state monument to the African American experience in North Carolina.
While there are many statues celebrating the accomplishments of white people in the area around the state Capitol, the first to celebrate Black North Carolinians broke ground on Wednesday.
North Carolina Freedom Park will be built on Lane Street, on the block between the governor’s mansion and the Legislative Building. The state has never had a Black governor.
Ahhhh, thanks for the clarity on the timeline. I was a bit confused there haha. I had honestly forgotten about this project until “stumbling upon” the signage on my evening walk.
