28
SKATEPARK LIBERATION
ABANDONED AND VERY SILENT,
the skatepark gave me an eerie low-
down feeling. The only light was the
daylight coming in through the win-
dows, and there wasn't much of that
left. There were big dust balls on the
ramps and pigeons flying all around.
Besides the sound of the birds, it was
way too quiet. I was glad when a
few kids showed up and started skat
ing. The vert ramp was too dark, but
the minis were lit and fun to hit. After
a while I'd had enough, and the wind
outside felt good as I skated away.
A few days later, Swim and Eatons
visited Portland from Seattle, and I
took them to ride. They were amped,
and I finally got to see some good
lines in that place. After about an
hour, Eatons reported a police sight
ing and we all ran out the back door.
It was raining hard and we all started
pushing fast towards the car. Some
other kids were with us, and later I
thought what we must have looked
like to the people on that street-a
pack of frantic guys skateboarding
down the street in the rain.
I was leaving town the next day for
two weeks, and I figured it'd be over
by the time I got back. When I came
home, though, not only were people
skating, but the lights were on all
night and everyone was going. The
sessions were raging, and it seemed
like every night could be the last. For
that reason, I made myself go every
night, even if my body didn't want to.
After about a week-and-a-half, we
began to see the ending signs. Every
night we'd have to get in a different
way. Someone was locking the place
everyday and boarding up the doors
and windows that had been open..
Then one night we got word that a
security guard had been posted and
was telling everyone that came to
skate about the alarm being installed
the next day. We went down there,
and sure enough, there's this guy
parked out front in a yellow pacer.
Our friend Elliot was in the street and
had just been given the scoop. We all
agreed to meet down the street at
this bar to mourn our loss. It was sad,
but that place had saved us from a
month of cruel winter, and I was sur-
prised that it lasted as long as it did.
Now it's back to battling the ele-
ments and looking forward to spring.
but spring's a lot closer now. So long,
City Skates. -Noah Martineau
After healing from knee
surgery, Mark Scott (above) is
indeed back-backside booster high
in the rafters. Elliot Johnson (left) serves
up a frontside air for the ghost of City Skates.
UP FRONT
bucky lasek
nicotine
ECU
96'