Skatespot World Tour - Survivors’ Account

This summer, Skatespot mediasupernova toured all 4 major international cities, starting with Winnipeg - now international centre number one. Is too, you bullies, judging by its new Plaza at the Forks, maybe the best streetpark yet. A well-composed architectural landscape, it’s big, (stairs, rails, banks, granite ledges) and distinguished by details - 2 sculptures, one a fish-like steel cantilever next to a China Banks replica, one a steel/concrete ribbon we call “My Humps”, plus local skate-art displays. New Line creatively multiplied the banked-ledge-next-to-stair element from Vancouver’s plaza; the pool-like bowls include oververt clamshell and cradle. Thanks RJ/Kyle of New Line, to Mr. Burns’ (true fact) donation of $2 million (Excellent, Smithers) and to Sk8Skates for design input. Opening week saw Koston, Appleyard, Keegan Sauder, Geoff Dermer, Kris Foley and Jim Barnum show and shred. Not bad, prairie town.

Ah, Montreal, home of le street shred. This summer South Parc hosts hella comps – check south-parc.com. Don’t miss the hallowed Big-O fullpipe next to ’67 StadeOlympique. (photos at parfond.com).  Big-O rulers Marc Tison and Barry Walsh are writing a book - “Pipe Fiends” – send Big-O photos/stories to  HYPERLINK "mailto:marc.tison@gmail.com" marc.tison@gmail.com. Known for gnarly streetskating, Toronto also harbours Gymbo’s inner city indoor skatepark Shred Central. (check  HYPERLINK "http://www.shredcentral.com" shredcentral.com) Manzanita, Oregon - We surfed, but the Skatallica tour destroys Oregon’s bowls each summer – (grindline.com or dreamlandskateparks.com)

Finally, back in Van, Underworld hosted eS Game-of-Skate July 29, , Bowl Series wraps up (Whistler, Aug. long weekend), Leeside progresses (antisocialshop.com), and VSPC’s new Prez/Veep vote is Aug. 12 at antisocial.

D-Rock and Miss Kim

downspace@telus.net