San Diego is lucky enough to be home of one of the four most prominent diy (do it yourself) skateparks that are, to one degree or another, recognized by the city. We are talking about parks built by skater for skater 100% in spite of the fact that city did not want the park there in the first place. Eventually, through grassroots work the city saw the benefit of letting skaters build recreational facilities that the city would otherwise have to spend maybe millions on to do themselves. Washington street came after Burnside in Oregon, FDR in Philly and before Channel Street in San Pedro. Hopefully there are more in the US. In fact I visited a little mini Burnside type park in the making last week so the diy sprit is still alive and well. Thank god George Bush has not killed the spirit of America 100% - yet.
Washington Street was started in like 1999 or so and just as a few tranny’s under a bridge that was a space used for nothing. The city shut it down, of course, the skaters fought back. After a shit ton of blood sweat and beers there is a sick park there unlike most in the US. There are no pad nannies there, in fact, if anything people give you shit for wearing pads. There are no YMCA skate guards to protect the bratty fucking 12 year kids that think they get every other run cuz there parents drive a Lexus SUV. Washington street is the great equilizer. If you show, are cool, can skate semi competently, give respect to the locals then more than likely they will be stoked to have you. If you show up thinking you are gonna rule then you will be humbled by the locals or by the challenging terrain. Were are not talking violence, just kind of a get the fuck outta here vibe. Well, surely like Wade Speyer can show up and rule but you are not Wade Speyer.
This past Friday June 6, they decided to change up Washington Street and threw a little fundraiser at Gelato Vero to raise some $. I went to the first fundraiser at Gelato Vero almost 10 years ago (and bought a Neil Blender piece for $25) and was stoked to go back to see old friends. Well times have changed and a lot of faces have changed as well but the fundraiser was still hella fun. Everyone from kids to the guy from Taylor Dykema skateboards was there. Art work was for sale by Grant Brittain, Brendan Klein, Sam Hitz and way more with all proceeds going to the park. Thanks to the sponsors, some of which include the Skateboard Mag, Vox, Fallen, Thrasher, Slave, Jivaro, Ace, Slap, Terror, Randoms and more. Special thanks to Route 44 for the killer raffle too and of course the artists. Go to www.washingtonstreetskateboardpark.org to buy some swag with all proceeds going to the park itself. Come on when you sport a Washington Street skatepark shirt, people think you are bad ass not some pussy ass YMCA skater like me.
Neil Heddings and Old Man Andy welcome you to the show. Neil was selling raffle tickets, 3 for 10$. I gave him a twenty to buy 3 tickets, he took it and gave me six tickets and said no change right? What can you say to that, it goes to a good cause. Not too mention I won and the dudes form Route 44 said “take whatever you want” so I took a Creature deck and they stuffed Spitfire wheels some wheels in my hand too so it was the best 20$ I spent all weekend. Old Man Andy is pretty much a legend in my book, talk about guy that lives true to himself
Some of Brendan Kein’s work, including one of my favorite photos, the gnarly ass ollie in the upper left hand corner of the photo. I mean will that feat ever be repeated?
Another Brendan Klein photo of Steve Roche – probably, along with Zaroche, one the gnarliest and most creative skaters you never heard of. I once bet Steve Roche he could not do a boneless one off the Bird perch at the old Encinitas ramp. After about 20 tries he did it and I drove to the atm to get money. Steve is a good dude and said not to bother but he deserved that 20 fucking dollars for sure
more displays
the scene
smiling faces, LOTS of stuff was given away. You could have shown up, bought $100 dollars worth of raffle tickets and probably won about $500 worth of stuff if you were so inclined, not too mention bought some cool artwork
Here is a partial view of what the cause was for
Nolan Johnson – corner pocket
Vincent – Lien air over the channel
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