10 years ago the guys from Concrete Dreams skateparks started building their DIY skatepark in Mechelen, Belgium in order to test out different buildingtechniques. As soon as you take a look at the park, you know it isn’t the easiest to skate. Big walls, love seats, a pool, a street section. It has a bit of everything. No wonder that it has produced some creative skaters over the years like Jarne Verbruggen. Enough reasons for Jean Jaques Distribution to honour it with a proper birthday bash.
Main event of the day was the contest with a whopping 5000 euro to hand out in all sorts of categories: Best of Best trick, High Flyer, MVP, Style for Miles, Best Transfer and Bowl Jam. You know it’s a unique skatepark when international heavyweights like CJ Collins, Bjørn Lillesøe, Adrien Bulard, Tim Zom and others decide to travel hours (just like me) to attend a birthdaybash. Don’t underestimate the locals though as guys like Jeroen Bruggeman and Pieter Decuster know how to tackle the best lines in the park.
Not only was the contest of the highest quality, there was plenty of other things to do. Always wanted a tattoo? You could get one from one of four artists. Wanted to do karaoke? Falus skateboarding had you covered. Besides all that there was a photography gallery, skatemovie screenings, Djs and also live music from local bands Opium Heathen, Adverse96, Rich Widows, Dead Letter Box and To the Bone.
I’ll let the photo’s do the rest of the talking but I can’t wait to see the videos to completely grasp what happened that day/night. Happy birthday to one of the best parks in Belgium and I’m curious to see how the park will evolve in the next decade.
Words by Rafaël Bracke @rafaelbrck
Photos by Rafaël Bracke @rafaelbrck and Jo Van Esbroeck @jove1973
Tim Rebensdorf. Frontside Air. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
David Sanchez. Madonna. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
Tim Zom – FS Nosegrind. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Pieter de Clus. Sexchange to fakie frontside smith over the door. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
Bjorn Lillesoe. Frontside Air . photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
MC Benne. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
David Sanchez. Taibone. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
CJ Collins – Stalefish’ing into the sunset. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Simon Bannerot. Caballerial. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
Sox. Nose Blunt yank in. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
Fs carve in the P-stone bowl. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Making memories that will last a lifetime. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Don’t know his name (Robbe?) but he’s known for always pogoing. This time he pogo’ed a good 10 meters alongside the coping before dropping in. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Jeroen Bruggeman can not only fly high on a skateboard but is also an avid crowdsurfer. photo by Rafaël Bracke
… so it’s time to break out the fireworks. You know Tim Bijsterveld is present when the fire arrows and bombs are illuminating the sky. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Sesh Scars. photo by Jo Van Esbroeck
Opium Heathen unleasing hell. They had to stop every few minutes because the crowd was moshing into the drumset. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Tim Zom – frontside Feeble over the loveseat. photo by Rafaël Bracke
Bjørn Lillesøe – Alleyoop mute over the loveseat. photo by Rafaël Bracke
The best way to end a birthday bash. photo by Rafaël Bracke
“contest” results:
- High Flyer: Bjorn Lillesoe (DK) 700€
- Best Transfer: Tim Zom (NL) 700€
- Firing Line: Jens Pepermans (BE) 700€
- Best Of Best Trick: Tim Rebensdorf (GER) 700€
- Smooth Operator: Simon Bannerot (CAN) Eagletone guitar
- Pool Shredder: Sox Watkins (UK) we’ll get you an Eagletone guitar man
- Style for Miles and batteries overloaded: Pieter De Clus (BE) 700€
- MVP: Tim Rebensdorf (GER) 1000€ and a guitar