Politicians and city officials gathered in Canarsie to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Canarsie Skate Park on June 15, paving the way for a legion of skaters to jump, swerve, and grind their way through the California-style, concrete obstacles.
“It’s pretty dope,” said Canarsie native Scott Love, 20, who’s been skating since he was 13. “It has everything I like, the hubbas, the rails, usually we don’t get obstacles like that in New York. Usually you find that stuff in California, so it’s a pretty good park to get your skills up all around.”
The skate park, which was about two years in the making, cost more than $2 million. It was designed by the Park Department’s resident landscape architect Stacia Tull, who met with Brooklyn skaters and skate equiment manufacturers to nail down the course’s design.
“Thanks to $2.13 million allocated by Councilmember Lew Fidler, Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklynites can once again catch some air at Canarsie Park,” said Commissioner Adrian Benepe at the ribbon cutting. “The redesign of the skate park provides maximum fun and reflects the suggestions of the local skate community by featuring boxes, rails, and ramps.”
Skaters say the new concrete park in Canarsie contrasts well with the wooden course in Gerritsen Beach.
“The Gerritsen Beach Skate Park, that’s a wooden park, it’s pretty small, but it’s alright,” said Love. “It’s hard to choose between them, because the Gerritsen Beach park is a more transition-type park, and Canarsie is more street type. I’m just glad to have both.”
Reach reporter Colin MIxson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4514.
