D.I.Y. Skateboarding
The hall existed since around 2008, after the owner of the house allowed skateboarding in the empty building. It all started with small basic obstacles, like curbs. Nothing special, because nobody thought that we could stay for such a long time there.
It’s a rough ass micro-coaster, the sort of thing you’d love to hate, but we built it, so we shred it.
“It started when a group of young skaters from Wonderland got shut down from building a new spot next to Wonderland in Christinia. So the same day they moved there efforts around the city until they found the spot where Hullet is at now….” – Danger
Ever since the old funbox in Hagen-Haspe got torn down the park needed a new main obstacle. With the Help of Klaas Kleinschmidt, from the Skateboard e.V. of Hagen, Ur-Haspe local Andre Neubert, and myself, we got the chance to give the park a little make over.
The Boldrider’s guys have organized two days of party and skate sesh, with16 bands playing, because they were supposed to destroy all the concrete and the vert ramp at the gas station in Postojna. I was so sad about that, but so hyped at the same time to meet up with all the guys. Whoever was there knows the situation… the atmosphere was so rad.
On arrival I don’t think anyone really knew what we were getting ourselves in for the following week back in early June in Hannover, Germany. The basic idea was that the 2 er – ‘the two stair’ Crew had the idea to invite D.I.Y (Do It Yourself) Skate crews from all corners of Europe to come to their spot and each team would be given 3 days to build something.
Just friends doing what they love and what they live for. Doing concrete stuff. this mini-wave-ramp is the beginning of a bigger project. but who knows what happens?
It was built in in a old slaughterhouse. It was known as Abbatoire 16 which means Slaugtherhouse 16 in french.
“I’ve been doing concrete work for about fifteen years. It was just a job and had never occurred to me to use my knowledge of concrete for skateboarding until I met the Vagabond crew.” – Gene Boles
Since the conclusion of the Students center pool sculpture being built, we’ve been introduced to a whole new way of riding a skateboard, and to a new skateboarding style which, until then, we were only able to see on tape. In the same year, being skateboarders, we were facing great depression not being properly understood and listened to. We didn’t have anything. After ten years of riding street, now and then even a skatepark that was being demolished faster than it was built, we didn’t have as nearly as much room for creativity and progression as we needed to. A lot of us gave up on skateboarding.
I hate my parents can still resonate in the adolescent head of the skateboarder you are. It’s perhaps still the case, but try to love your friends’ parents because they could agree to give you part of their garden to build a sort of Steppe Side style / DIY skate spot. I don’t know them but I start to love them too.
FDR Skatepark began its life in 1996 with a few small obstacles built by the City of Philadelphia in an attempt to meet the needs of a growing community. In true D-I-Y fashion, local skaters soon gathered their resources and began the ongoing construction of a space of their own design. Today, FDR is recognized throughout the world as a landmark in the skateboarding community. It has been host to heroes, villains, triumph, and tragedy…