Tom Breen Photo
Round 2's coming: Jovon Ladson navigates concrete quarter pipe added in the previous round of skateboarder-city-designed renovations.
Skateboarders young and old envisioned stairs, an awning, and 24/7 lights as they met with city officials to map out a plan for a $250,000 renovation of their park.
Kamini Purushothaman Photo
Skaters brainstorm with city officials Wednesday evening at Coogan Pavilion.
City officials invited the skateboarders to the public meeting Wednesday night at Edgewood Park’s Coogan Pavilion to dream and scheme about the upcoming renovation, which comes out of an $800,000 state grant (from federal American Rescue Plan Act money) the city has received for upgrades throughout the park.
The skate park is set to be designed and constructed by Rampage, a Bridgeport-based skate shop and equipment company. Rampage’s owner, Dave Peterson, was also in attendance Wednesday night, eagerly chatting with local skaters about their vision for the skate park.
After a brief introduction from City Architect Kat Jacobs and City Engineer Giovanni Zinn, attendees got to work discussing their ideas in small groups. Officials provided attendees with pre-existing designs, graphing paper, and pencils so they could sketch out their vision for the new skate park. (This is a reprise of a successful previous city-skater process in 2017 that led to renovations.)
“The city was very positive about investing in the skate park, and that’s a testament to you guys,” said Zinn, encouraging the attendees to share their suggestions regardless of affordability concerns.
Peterson said the plan has around 8,000 square feet to work with.
One longtime skater in attendance was Lou Cox, who previously owned Channel 1 Skate Shop, which sold both boards and clothing. Underscoring how the store’s presence fostered the skateboarding scene in New Haven, Cox said, “We did our part for the community.” His daughter, Sasha Cohen Cox, who is also involved in the city’s skateboarding community, attended as well.
Matthew Spodick-Betancur, a regular BMX rider at the park, said he found out about the meeting from a Facebook posting by the Devil’s Gear bike and skateboard shop on Chapel Street. He said he felt it was important to show up to the meeting to make his ideas heard. (Read more about Devil’s Gear and Sasha Cohen Cox here.)
Spodick-Betancur helped design a 3D rendering of the skate park’s first renovations back in 2017, when it had begun to deteriorate. Wednesday night he came with a proposal for an awning to allow for all-weather skating.
“Skating is an outlet for kids that want to do something positive,” he said. “There’s no rules, you can do it your own way. That’s freedom of expression.”
Cox encouraged Spodick-Betancur to share his idea for an awning with Peterson, who said that other skaters had also envisioned a way of shielding part of the park from rain and snow. Both Peterson and Zinn marveled at the now 37-year-old’s recent BMX videos.
Spodick-Betancur said he had concerns about the design the city officials had put out on the tables, noting that it might not be as conducive to BMX riding as skating.
Spodick-Betancur also suggested lights to keep the park illuminated after dark, which he said would give skaters the chance to stay later and feel safer.
Others suggested adding stairs to the design to mimic the pedestrian infrastructure that skaters often use outside of parks.
After 40 minutes of discussion, the cohort reconvened. Each group shared their hopes for the new skate park’s development.
The skaters concluded the night on a hopeful note.
“I have a lot of faith that you guys will do a great job,” said Spodick-Betancur to Peterson after they discussed his ideas.
Zinn said he expects renovations to begin as soon as this summer.
Jay Clark shows his skills at the skatepark.
Awesome ideas! But I hope any lighting at night will be dark skies safe to protect birds. The West River and Edgewood Park are very important to wildlife and birds and bird migration, and its important that lighting doesnt disturb their natural behavior.
My brothers and friends would have been at the skateboard park with their skateboard and bicycles trying out the jumps and ramps every spare minute of their growing up in the city. Its a great way to create intergenerational socializing in a positive and productive and fun way, and it gives an outlet for young people to do feats of strength and tests of daring and build their skills in a positive environment.