T
L
I
Editor K.T. carving edge in Winchester's perfect pool. Photo: ST.
SKATEPARK WARS
There has been a lot of hysteria over skateparks lately. A slew of new facilities
have opened up in the past two years and many towns are taking serious
look at the possibilities of public facilities. Parents and family are more likely
o go see their offspring at a park than at a schoolyard or an abandoned
property. The competition scene has swollen with new associations and af-
fillations that can run an event more easily at a ready-made rampsite with
snack bar and bleachers than a field or parking lot.
The whole climate reminds me of a fairy tale....
Once upon a time, when skateboarding was young, skaters rode in pools,
on banks, downhill streets, ditches and spillways. Soon these imaginative
roller artists conjured visions of custom-made bowls and banks using the
best aspects of the spots they had found. The first real skatepark was a modest
tacy Carlsbad Raceway in North San Diego County, built essentially
by skaters and surfers from the surrounding area. Soon, in the faraway state
of Florida, similar facilities began to appear. Small snake runs leading into
mild carvable bowls, maybe a freestyle area with mellow banks, again in-
fluenced by surfers and skaters. More parks began sprouting up in response
to skater demand. Cement was being poured everywhere.
Over a two-year span starting in 1977, some 200 or more skateparks were
built nationwide. Some-like the legendary Cherry Hill in New Jersey, Apple
in Ohio, Skatepark Victoria, Winchester, Marina Del Rey, Upland Pipeline
and Del Mar Skateranch-were legendary facilities and produced world class
skaters The vast majority, however, were tight, kinked, pitted death traps that
were unnegotiable or downright dangerous, either vast glacier fields of useless
cement Bow or tight, skinny snake runs and U-pipes.
Even the best parks were subject to nasty, uncaring ogre owners and
managers. Some parks had more rules than school and you definitely had
o pay to play. Eventually skaters went back underground, back to the streets
schoolyards and pools....
End of story
Now seems that skateparks will play a bigger part in skateboarding in
the 90s, whether contest or session, wood, warehouse or cement. Let's hope
those in charge listen, learn and let the skaters skate. Beginning on page
48 we take a more in-depth view from both sides of the park phenomedilemma
Meanwhile as we count down to Thrasher's 10th anniversary we'll be com
ing down hard with hell of street, yard and pool action.
Skate truly-Kevin J. Thatcher
THRASHER
MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER: Edward H. Riggins
EDITOR: Kevin J. Thatcher
ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Maria Martinez
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Richard Noll
ART DIRECTOR: Enrico Chandoha
PHOTO EDITOR: M.Fo
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Bryce Kanights
COPY EDITOR: Kurt Carlson
ART ASSOCIATES: Ken McGuire, John Dettman
STAFF WRITER: Miles Orkin
LARGE ARTIST: Kevin Ancell
DARKROOM TECHS: Mark Madeo, Fred Conrad
MUSIC EDITOR: Brian Schroeder
PROOFREADER: Sarah Bowen Shea
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Rick Blackhart,
Brian Brannon, Chef Boy-Am-I-Hungry, Don Fisher,
Lowboy, Jake Phelps, Don Redondo,
Billy Runaway, C.R. Stecyk III
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Pleasant Gehman, Mike Gitter, Matt Goldman,
Steve Martin, Vaj Potenza, Rick Rotsaert,
Ken Salerno, Kirsten Voris
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kristin Callahan,
Dan Cavalheiro, Bryce Kanights, Chuck Katz,
Chris Ortiz, Ken Salerno, Keith Stephenson.
Sean Sullivan, Bill Thomas
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Lisa Weidman
PRODUCT SALES MANAGER: Tove-Gunn Johnson
ASSISTANT SALES MANAGER: Rick Rotsaert
CIRCULATION MANAGER: Clifford D. Cairns
ACCOUNTING: Kirsten Voris
RECEPTIONIST: Tiffany Schlobohm
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Brinette Battaglia,
Janet Flemer, Yvonne Smith
SHIPPING MANAGER: Jake Phelps
SHIPPING: Ana Quezada, Noah Peacock
ENGINEER: Mario Damas
Subscription Questions: Please call (815) 734-6309
New
Distribution-USA. Kable News Co, Casade Dic
For Worldwide Media Service
POSTMASTER Send als
©
PAX
THRASHER, PO B
THRASHER Magazine is 100% cable
by High Speed Productions. In 423
PUXAD
STEVE SALISIAN - NOW!
104"x31"
PO. BOX 880787
S.F. CA 94188
PH: 415-822-3160 FAX: 415-822-3163
DOG
SKATES