Skatepark Times by Spohn Ranch

The Spohn Ranch family is proud to announce that our latest Los Angeles design/build project, Hansen Dam Skatepark, is officially open as of last week. Several long months in the making, the joyous experience of taking down the construction fencing was only surpassed by our predictable next step…riding the park!

Working with our 10+ year client, Los Angeles Recreation and Parks, the new facility at Hansen Dam Park is a state-of-the-art space unlike any other in the area. The well rounded space blends the multiple genres of skate terrain in a cutting-edge fashion by anchoring the park’s entrance with a unique bowl and snaking street-inspired features around a landscaped area in the center of the park.

The 8,800 square foot concrete skatepark features integral colored concrete, granite-capped ledges and brick stamped banks. With a 2,500 square foot flow bowl, the park also speaks to a somewhat neglected LA action sports subculture – transition skaters.

Working in the City of LA is challenging to say the least. It is one of the strictest and most expensive building environments in the nation, where only financially stable and well-staffed firms can survive. This project in particular presented several unique hurdles that while challenging at the time, helped us emerge as a wiser and more well-rounded firm – prepared to tackle the toughest of site constraints and most complex of logistical riddles.

To capture the true beauty of this space, we commissioned our good friend and staff photographer for Etnies, Sam McGuire, to shoot some photos of the park. Not to one to show up empty-handed, Sam arrived with Alien Workshop’s up-and-coming amateur rider Kevin Terpening and a few friends, who were all eager to skate the park.

In speaking with Kevin and friends, they really enjoyed the park’s unique circular flow and diversity of terrain.

An official grand opening ceremony hosted by the City of Los Angeles is in the works, so stay tuned for a time and date.  Until then, we hope to see you out at the park!

Officially open!

Alright folks, this is about as small as a skate spot can be while still functioning properly. A park improvement plan for Felt Street Park in Santa Cruz, California called for a small skateboarding space in a 41′ x 57′ area.

With our expertise, we designed a small, yet imaginative area for local skateboarders. Thankfully this is Santa Cruz County’s 8th skatepark, so this skate spot will serve as a more of meet-up spot, rather than a full-fledged regional skatepark.

If your community is planning a new park or re-doing an existing one, but doesn’t have the funds or space for a large skatepark – skate spots and skate dots are great solutions!

Some footage here:

The project we first shared in July of 2011 is officially complete.  Well, it’s not really skateable, but this unique project uses skatepark elements to create an interactive art installation. Conceived and designed by local artist Chris Green, this permanent outdoor art installation was commissioned by the NYC School Construction Authority for PS/IS 48 Q’s new school building in Jamaica, Queens. Spohn Ranch worked with Chris to select the proper elements and with our fabrication process nearly complete, they will be installed by Chris and his team within a few weeks.

“As the piece was installed in a heavily shaded west facing courtyard, the artwork marks various points on the annual calendar by reflecting sunlight from roof-mounted mirrors onto a series of GFRC walls. Etched into the concrete surfaces of the curved walls are 52 student-generated artworks showing the sun as a personified symbol – a petroglyphic style dating back to the Neolithic. The reflected sunlight passes over these engravings at various points in the day and year when the courtyard is darkest. Designs and sun symbols were generated in collaboration with 2nd grade students at the school over the course of a twenty-week residency.

This site-specific installation provides teachers as PS/IS 48 a vast resource for educational programs in astronomy, art history, geometry, social sciences, and ecology.”

Photos via Chris Green.

Our latest skatepark design/build project for the City of Long Beach, California is officially open as of this past Saturday’s ribbon cutting ceremony. Although the skateboarding area at Orizaba Park is quite small at only 3,600 square feet (45’ x 80’) it was definitely the highlight of the park’s revitalization. During the grand opening, it was also the most popular space in the park – a clear sign that investing in skateparks and skate spots is a valuable use of public funding. While a handful of kids messed around on the new basketball court, over 50 kids swarmed the skate spot with amazing passion and determination.

Our fifth skatepark for the City of Long Beach, this 3,500 square foot park will be a welcome addition to Long Beach’s diverse and growing skatepark master plan. With a small site and budget, this unique space will provide the local community’s up-and-coming skaters with a great space to progress before moving on to the City’s larger and more complex parks.

We wish they wouldn’t have fenced it, but super fun nonetheless. Big shout out to all of the behind-the-scenes players who helped make this happen!

Riverside County, California – Temescal Valley Skate Spot, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Construction of the skate spot that is part of the new Temescal Valley Sports Complex is coming along swiftly, with only flatwork remaining as January comes to a close. A welcome addition to Riverside County, California’s diverse collection of skateparks, this 4,000 square foot skate spot takes an artistic twist on some skatepark staples like a fun box, quarter-pipe and grind box.

Prior to Spohn Ranch’s involvement, a playground manufacturer had steered the skatepark design towards an outdated and uninspired metal ramp layout. Working with a passionate County employee who had a background in skateboarding and appreciated modern skatepark design, we transformed the vision for the skateboarding space. While the skate spot is not intended to be a destination facility, it is set to become a valuable space for the immediate nieghorhood’s skateboarding population.

Stay tuned for construction updates and information on the Sports Complex’ official grand opening!

We are proud to announce that we are welcoming retired professional skateboarder Charlie Wilkins into the Spohn Ranch family as our new full-time CAD designer. We met Charlie this past summer as we were working with Alli Sports on the Dew Tour and immediately knew he would be a great fit.

While many know him from his Judas Priest-inspired onslaught in Maple’s “Black Cat”, Charlie’s involvement in skateboarding goes way beyond magazine spreads and video parts. Since turning pro in 1996, Charlie has spent several years as a World Cup Skateboarding judge, course designer and builder for the Dew Tour and instructor at countless skateboarding camps. With 20+ years of skateboarding under his belt, we are extremely excited to see his passion, creativity and well-rounded experience influence our work!

Check out Charlie in action at our in-process project – McBride Skatepark in Long Beach, California!

Holland, Michigan – Smallenburg Skatepark Open!, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Thank goodness for the uncharacteristically warm weather the Midwest has been experiencing as of late, because the skateboarders of Holland, Michigan are getting some unexpected quality time at the new concrete skatepark. In 2011, Spohn Ranch was chosen as the skatepark designer and builder for the 10,000 square foot concrete space at Smallenburg Park. The project was our second for the City of Holland, as we successfully completed another 10,000 square foot park at Dirkse Park in 2009.

Officially open for a few weeks now, the park is already generating a lot of hype in the State of Michigan, with skateboarders traveling from across the state to ride one of the area’s most modern skateparks. Lined by large trees, the park has an incredibly inviting aesthetic and feels like a vibrant community gathering space.

Check out all of the shots from local photographer Dan Irving by clicking the photo above or check out some video footage of the skatepark below.

As 2011 winds to a close, we wanted to share a few of our favorite municipal projects from the past year. While the special event work we do is insanely fun, there is literally no better feeling than watching a community and a brotherhood form around a permanent structure that you created.

Many of our projects that came to fruition in 2011 were hard-fought journeys, several years in the making. After years of skaters being ticketed, kicked out and constantly told “NO”, we feel truly honored in helping communities across the US stand up and finally say “Yes!” to skateboarding.

We want to give a big thank you to all of our friends, family and partners who helped make 2011 such a special year. Looking forward to continuing the ride in 2012!

North Laurel Community Skatepark – North Laurel, Maryland

Watching footage of kids flowing through this park is what makes all of our hard work so worthwhile. 12,000 square feet of skateable terrain, a host of skateable boulders and flow for days!

Phillips Park Skate and BMX Park – Aurora, Illinois

Dubbed the “gnarliest” skatepark in the suburbs of Chicago, this park combines 8,000 square feet of plaza terrain, 4,000 square feet of BMX transition and flowing spectator berms to create a truly unique action sports space.

Prairie Side Skate Plaza – Oregon, Illinois

Only 6,500 square feet, but this park’s innovative layout, architectural aesthetic and vibrant landscaping make it one of the most modern skateboarding spaces in the state of Illinois.

Marina Park Skatepark – Titusville, Florida

It’s hard to find a better setting for a skatepark than the coast of Florida. The waterfront views, colored concrete and open air feeling all come together to create a vibrant public space – arguably the most intriguing and visually-striking part of a new recreational complex.

McBride Skatepark – Long Beach, California

95% complete, this highly-anticipated park will officially open in early 2012. A 10+ year client, the City of Long Beach understood the positive impact of skateparks very early on and has been supporting skateboarding ever since with quality skateparks like this.

 Hansen Dam Skatepark – Los Angeles, California

Another 10+ year client and 95%-er, this park is awaiting some final landscaping before it will open in 2012. 8,800 square feet of terrain, a unique flow bowl and a strong use of street-inspired granite and brick!

Fergusson Park Skatepark – Rialto, California

Made possible by the persistence of a local family with multiple generations of skateboarders, this 16,000 square foot park has been finished for a few months now, but is awaiting the completion of other park improvements before it will be officially shreddable.

Red Mountain Adventure Park – Woodland Park , Colorado

In a state known for its outdoor recreation, we couldn’t just build any old skatepark, we had to bring something special to the table. The end result – 24,000 square feet of concrete bowls, plazas and skillfully shaped BMX dirt jumps!

Thompson Park Skatepark – The Dalles, Oregon

In 2011 we wrapped up the 7,500 square foot phase 1 with a tight budget, made possible with donated materials and services from the City and local contractors. On a Dew Tour trip to Portland, the park’s co-designer Vince Onel got a first-hand feel for the park.

Oskaloosa, Iowa Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Construction on Oskaloosa, Iowa’s new public skatepark will be coming to a temporary halt, as winter officially sets in this week. Work will reconvene in 2012 with the first steady stream of favorable weather.

There is roughly a week and a half worth of concrete work left, in addition to landscaping, lighting and site amenities. The current plan is for a spring grand opening.  Even without all of the concrete on the ground, the park is shaping up great!

Santa Cruz, California Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Alright folks, this is about as small as a skate spot can be while still functioning properly. A park improvement plan for Felt Street Park in Santa Cruz, California called for a small skateboarding space in a 41′ x 57′ area, roughly 2,300 square feet.

With Spohn Ranch’s expertise, we designed a small, yet imaginative area for local skateboarders. Thankfully this is Santa Cruz County’s 8th skatepark, so this skate spot will serve as a more of meet-up spot, rather than a full-fledged regional skatepark.

If your community is planning a new park or re-doing an existing one, but doesn’t have the funds or space for a large skatepark – skate spots and skate dots are great solutions!

This small community of roughly 12,000 residents in Western New York is now home to a 7,500 square foot concrete skatepark. A Spohn Ranch design/build project, construction is wrapping up as winter approaches – just enough time for a few sessions before the snow falls.

Space restrictions, a tight budget and a balance between BMX and skate made this a challenging project, but judging from the droves of bikers and skaters already flocking to the park, we feel confident in calling this project a success.  Quotes like this from the local skate and BMX shop also help:  ”Im so stoked on this park, I quit skating for almost a year because there was just nothing decent near by, now that this park is here I am there almost everyday.” – Tucker Hawkins

Glad to have helped the youth of Canandaigua achieve a place to safely exercise their passions.  Stay tuned for updates on the official grand opening!

Ft. Lewis, Washington Officially Under Construction!, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Our 16,000 square foot design/build skate plaza in Fort Lewis, Washington is officially under construction. The custom bump-to-bump is being shaped and painted to replicate Mt. Rainier, which will serve as the skate plaza’s beautiful backdrop.

Stay tuned for updates from the Spohn Ranch Skateparks build crew!

 

Rialto, California – Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

As anticipation from the local skate (and bike!) community continues to mount, Rialto, California’s new skatepark is in the final stages of construction. A Spohn Ranch design/build project, this 16,000 square foot park is currently awaiting some final perimeter landscaping and detail work.

A cornerstone of the Fergusson Park re-vamp project, the skatepark will unfortunately not open until the rest of the park amenities, including football fields, playgrounds and parking spaces, are finished. Arguably the Inland Empire’s premiere facility, this skatepark has certainly come a long way since its days as an abandoned roller-hockey rink.

Stay tuned for accurate information on the grand opening, tentatively scheduled for late November – early December.

Oskaloosa, Iowa Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Construction is nearing the finish line on Oskaloosa, Iowa’s new concrete skatepark, designed and built by Spohn Ranch Skateparks. As the days get shorter and Iowa’s notoriously brutal winters loom ever closer, the race is on to complete construction before the snow falls. Last week it was all hands on deck as the Spohn Ranch crew wrapped up shotcrete placement for the park’s banks, hips, waterfall and 5′ deep horse-shoe bowl. In the coming days, the colored concrete flatwork will be poured around the elements, leaving landscaping, lighting and some final detail work.

Stay tuned for updates on the grand opening!

Dew Tour 2011 – Las Vegas, Nevada “Skate Street”, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Final design for the 2011 Dew Tour Skate Street Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada. Located inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s “The Joint”, this unique venue will host the “best of the best” from this year’s professional skateboarders. The venue’s existing stage created our main elevation and will also showcase the talents of rap artist 50 Cent immediately following the finals.

Stay tuned for photos of the course build and updates from the qualifying rounds of action!

 

Red Bull Mississippi Grind Finals in New Orleans, Louisiana, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

The floating concrete skatepark we designed and built for Red Bull made its way down to New Orleans, Louisiana this past weekend for the final event of the Red Bull Mississippi Grind. Hosting contests at stops along the Mississippi River route, the NOLA event featured the top eight skaters from the previous stops in St. Paul, Minnesota, Davenport, Iowa and St. Louis, Missouri.

A beautiful City, a passionate crowd and some amazing skateboarding talent made this an incredible event. To make a great story even greater, the first Mississippi Grind event series is concluding with the donation of the concrete elements to the City of New Orleans for their first public skatepark. With corporate sponsors like Red Bull giving back like this, the future of skateboarding looks very bright!  Photos from the whole journey can be found here.

Credit: John Linn / Red Bull Media House

 

Hansen Dam Skate Plaza Construction – Los Angeles, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

The anticipation is palpable! Spohn Ranch’s latest skatepark/ skate plaza is nearing completion as the site is prepared for final landscaping and site amenities. Check the video below and take a quick tour of the park with Vincent Onel from Spohn Ranch’s skatepark design/development department.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

The new concrete skatepark in Oskaloosa, Iowa is really shaping up as Spohn Ranch field crews are putting their head down and charging forward. With the notoriously brutal Midwest winter on the horizon, the race is on to complete the skatepark and celebrate its grand opening before the snow falls.

In the past few days, Spohn Ranch has placed all of the precision-cast sculptural features and stair sets, dramatically improving construction efficiency. In the coming days, our expert formers will head out the site and began framing up the bowl sections, hanging the steel coping and preparing the site for concrete and shotcrete placement.

Spohn Ranch field crews are making great progress on the construction of Long Beach, California’s new 10,000 square foot skatepark at McBride Park. It’s all hands on deck for Spohn Ranch’s latest LBC design/build project, with a grant deadline requring substantial completion by the end of the month.

Over the past month, our crew has completed grading, forming, rebar, steel fabrication and placement, drain line installation and installation of the precision-cast sculptural features. This past week we started placing and shooting concrete for the park’s banks, ledges and manual pads.

Another exciting update comes from the larger-than-life “LBC” letters which will be set into the bank wall at the West end of the park. They’ve been fabricated and powder coated, and are now set for installation. A great way to unify to a community!  Below Long Beach skateboarding advocates Daniel Tim Tim and Mike Donelon repping LBC!

Check the video here for some more highlights and insight from the Spohn Ranch crew.

 

Final Design for Holland, Michigan – Smallenburg Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Our second skatepark for the City of Holland, Michigan is officially under construction as of this past Monday! Spohn Ranch’s latest design/build project is an 8,000 square foot neighborhood-style skate plaza artfully integrated into Smallenburg Park.

Our design process involved collaboration with a local landscape architect, as well as design workshops with the local skaters who we’ve come to know very well through our work on Holland’s David Dirkse Skatepark.

Stay tuned for construction updates!