Volunteers trying to build skateparks in Portland

Somehow they were in limbo and I just approved a bunch of them. I wondered why no one had anything to say about skatepark design. Keep ’em coming. Use the SKATEPARK POLL link in the menu.

On October 13th selected members of the Mt. Tabor Skateboarding Club traveled to city hall to meet Mayor Tom Potter and help open the Portland City Council meeting. Mt. Tabor skaters were invited to city hall to help celebrate the grand opening of Portland’s first official public skatepark. Students selected to attend the field trip all wrote essays expressing what makes skateboarding a positive activity, and why the City of Portland should continue to invest in public skateparks.

The council was impressed and confirmed their commitment to the skatepark system. Thanks!

The Mount Tabor Skateboarding Club is an activity offered through Portland Parks and Recreation’s Sun Community School with support from the Portland Parks Foundation.

The Mt. Tabor Skateboarding Club started in the fall of 2003. A group of skateboarders from the school approached ESL teacher Ben Wixon with the idea of having a club that promoted skateboarding in a positive way while providing opportunities to skateboard for kids at the school. The club is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders attending Mt. Tabor Middle School. The skateboarding club has weekly trips to the Department of Skateboarding Skatepark, where students receive a discounted rate to skateboard, as well as transportation, supervision, and instruction from club sponsor Ben Wixon and other community school instructors and volunteers. In addition to weekly trips to the indoor skatepark, club members are able to attend reward trips for good behavior and good grades to places like Mt. Hood and various public skateparks in the Portland area. In order to participate in club activities students are expected to maintain good grades and stay out of trouble at school. In the past skateboarders have been required to sign up for Homework Club and receive tutoring if not making adequate progress in their classes. The club averages 30 members a year and is one of the most popular clubs and activities offered at the middle school.

… has moved to the menu list at the top left of the screen. Click on SKATEPARK POLL. We wanted people to be able to access it easily even after the post slides down the page. We have already had some good input.

MC went out to have a look at progress on Glenhaven this weekend. Both bowls are shaped and are getting ready for concrete.

Poll – What specific features would you like to see in a new skatepark in Portland? Something that hasn’t been seen yet? A re-creation of a great skatespot? Something from a park of yesteryear?

Curious about where the skateparks will go? Check out our 19 skateparks page. If you hold your cursor over the park pictures you’ll see what sizes facility Parks is considering for each site. Added a Pier Park page – click the picture on the 19 skateparks page. More to come.