Los Angeles, California – Hansen Dam Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Construction progress at Los Angeles’ newest skatepark is coming along great, as the last yards of shotcrete were placed today. A few of the features lining the park’s pathway section were also detailed with a brick-stamp yesterday, giving the park a legit street feeling rarely found in skateparks. More updates to come as the Spohn Ranch flatwork crew rolls in to finish things up!
Final Design for McBride Skate Plaza – Long Beach, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Construction of Spohn Ranch’s Fifth Skatepark for the City of Long Beach is Underway at McBride Park
Since skateboarding first made its way to Long Beach in the 1970s, local youth have consistently earned a reputation for approaching skateboarding with an unmistakable level of passion and commitment. Taking a stand against the social and economic issues that challenged their daily lives, the skaters of Long Beach have wholeheartedly embraced skateboarding – both as a vehicle for bringing people together and as a way to maintain a positive, healthy lifestyle.
With a background story this inspiring, Spohn Ranch is proud to honor the spirit of Long Beach skateboarding with the design and construction of the City’s most vibrant and well-rounded facility to date. The project was also chosen as the Tony Hawk Foundation’s spotlight project of the year, with a “Stand Up For Skateparks” event held in October to raise additional funds for the park.
As we approached the design phase of the project, our goal was to create Long Beach’s first true skate plaza. More than just another place to ride, we wanted to create an engaging public space that would resemble an urban streetscape and give local skaters a sense of place and community. Putting ourselves in the mind of an average Long Beach skater, we asked ourselves, “What would it take to create a park that would keep me excited to come back here every single day?”.
A close up view of the park’s entrance
Reflecting today’s modern style of skateboarding, this 9,000 square foot design focuses less on traditional ramps, bowls and half-pipes and allocates more space towards features one would find in a common urban setting – benches, stairs, handrails, etc. A few of the main attributes of this design include:
The famed Belmont Planters during their last days
By far the most compelling and significant aspect of this design is the inclusion of the letters “LBC” in the banked wall. By increasing the width of this feature, we were able to set these larger-than-life letters into the piece and allow them to rise up out of the park. With a sculptural quality not found in any other skatepark, these letters singlehandedly elevate this skatepark to iconic proportions.
A close up view of the park’s “LBC” letters
When this skatepark appears in professional magazines, videos and local user YouTube videos, these letters will become an instantly recognizable symbol of Long Beach’s dedication to quality skateboarding facilities. Empowering the local skaters with the knowledge and pride that their community is special, these letters will further unite Long Beach’s skaters and cement the City’s place in skateboarding history.
North Laurel, Maryland – North Laurel Community Skatepark Complete!, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
After a short trip up from the Dew Tour event in Ocean City, the Spohn Ranch crew has placed the remaining manual pads and anchored the last of the grind rails – wrapping up construction of Howard County’s newest skatepark.
A vibrant 12,000 square foot community gathering space, our latest design/build project is already receiving great praises from the passionate D.C. skateboarding scene. The park features native boulders integrated into the heart of the skateable terrain, modern plaza elements and an innovative multi-level bowl. Check some of the first footage here. Lines for days!!
Fergusson Park Skatepark – Rialto, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
As we near the finish line on our 16,000 square foot skatepark in Rialto, California, the local skaters are nearly dying with anticipation. Unfortunately for them, the park is not slated to open until September when the full park revamp (new football fields, playgrounds, parking lots, etc.) is complete.
Today and tomorrow will be the final days of pouring concrete, as we wrap up the flat sections of the skatepark. With the flatwork complete, we will only have a few more days left on site to place the handrails, flat bars and additional manual pads. For more photos, click the shot above to be redirected to our flickr stream or check out Spohn Ranch’s facebook page here.
Red Mountain Adventure Park – Woodland Park, Colorado, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
As the new grass continues to grow in and around the park, the Spohn Ranch crew is substantially complete with construction of Woodland Park, Colorado’s new Red Mountain Adventure Park. While the first runs on the BMX dirt track started going down a few weeks ago, the skaters are just enjoying their first sessions on the sparkling new concrete this week. What was once an empty grass field is now a vibrant hub of action sports fun and innovation!
With a grand opening scheduled for early August, Spohn Ranch is proud to be a part of another successful project in a state that shows such incredible dedication to outdoor recreation.
Red Mountain Adventure Park – Woodland Park, Colorado, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
As the Spohn Ranch crew puts the finishing touches on the 8,000 square foot concrete skatepark, the freestyle BMX course is ready to go, with some inaugural sessions already under way by our collaborators at Alpine Bike Parks. Our track design features 16,000 square foot of skillfully shaped table-top jumps, rhythm rollers, spines and hips.
North Laurel, Maryland – Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Construction on North Laurel, Maryland’s new 12,000 square foot concrete skatepark is coming along great! The multi-level bowl is nearly complete, with only one section of flatwork remaining to be poured. Yesterday was also an exciting day as the large native boulders were delivered to the site and strategically placed within the park’s skateable and non-skateable terrain. Weighing up to 27,000 pounds, these boulders are a great reflection of local heritage, while simultaneously serving as unique skating obstacles not normally found in municipal skateparks.
North Laurel, Maryland – Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Construction is charging ahead on Spohn Ranch’s new 12,000 square foot concrete skatepark in North Laurel, Maryland. Earthwork, forming and rebar are coming along great, while the first sections of concrete are being placed in the multi-level bowl.
Continually advancing construction methodology, we’ve employed several techniques that are dramatically reducing the construction timeline and leading to true cost efficiencies. All coping, grind edging and concrete screeds are fabricated in our state-of-the-art fabrication facility by licensed welders and metal workers. Rather than outsourcing our metal work to local vendors, Spohn Ranch ensures a level of quality control unparalleled in the skatepark industry.
Immediately after the final design was approved, the park’s sculptural elements were precision-cast in our concrete facility. While the permitting process and site preparation prevented our field crews from beginning work on site, we were able to build a substantial portion of the park’s features.
Rialto, California Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
We’re nearing the finish line in Rialto, California as the last of the features are shot and poured this week. The site of an old hockey rink, this 16,000 square foot space is looking a lot more like a state-of-the-art skatepark these days.
In the photo above, Spohn Ranch’s Anthony Zavala mans the shotcrete nozzle as the park’s volcano feature comes to life. Check out some video action here as well!
Skatepark Construction Progress in The Dalles, Oregon, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Building skateparks in the Pacific Northwest takes patience. With torrential rainstorms occuring seemingly every other day, the Spohn Ranch crew has learned to make the most of their days on site at the new concrete skatepark in The Dalles, Oregon.
Checking the skatepark committee’s facebook page throughout the process has kept us incredibly motivated to get the local kids skating as soon as possible.
“If you are out and about today, run by Thompson Park and take a peek at how skateparks are built…woohoo, progress! Let the sunshine begin!”
“Good to see the crew at Spohn Ranch doesn’t give up due to a holiday or some cruddy weather! Way to go boys!”
Since mobilizing about two weeks prior, we’ve made great progress on the park and the features are really starting to take shape. In the last week, we’ve executed the fine grading, formed a majority of the features and have completed shotcrete and concrete placement for about a third of the park’s features. As the concrete cures on these features, we will continue to push forward with the remainder of the formwork and concrete/shotcrete placement.
Hansen Dam Skatepark – Los Angeles, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
We are proud to announce that site preparation has begun for the new 8,800 square foot skatepark at the Hansen Dam Recreation Center in Los Angeles, California. An exciting Spohn Ranch design/build project, this park will feature integral colored concrete, granite-capped ledges, brick stamped features and a unique blend of plaza and transition. Final design renderings to follow shortly!
Skate Spot Construction Progress in Long Beach, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Phillips Park Skateboard and BMX Parks – Aurora, Illinois, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
As the final flatwork and earthwork is completed in the following days, the two new skateparks at Phillips Park in Aurora, Illinois will be one step closer to being rideable. After a long winter season, this Spohn Ranch design/build project will be opening in the next month – perfect timing for the hundreds of Chicago-area shredders who will just be getting out of school for the summer.
Fergusson Skatepark – Rialto, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
The skatepark at Fergusson Park is taking shape as construction charges ahead on our 16,000 square foot design/build project in Rialto, California. As of yesterday, we’ve completed a substantial portion of the rough grading, installed drain lines in the landscaped areas and placed all of the precision-cast sculptural features. In the following weeks, as construction of the bowl moves forward, Spohn Ranch crews will also be applying shotcrete and pouring the remaining skate features within the plaza area of the park.
Rialto, CA Skatepark Construction Progres, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
The East end of Fergusson Skatepark is looking solid as construction moves forward in Rialto. Spohn Ranch crews have rough-graded the bowl and installed the drain in the -8’ section. Placement of the first wave of precision-cast pieces is also complete. Using a hydraulic crane, crews unloaded and placed two flatbed trucks of precision-cast pieces around the cast-in-place planter wall.
By using the existing roller hockey rink as a concrete footer slab, our state-of-the-art precision-casting process is enabling us to swiftly and efficiently move forward with construction. As the features on site are backfilled and cast-in-place features are poured, casting of the second wave of precision-cast pieces will simultaneously take place.
Titusville, Florida Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Spohn Ranch and Misiano Construction are making solid progress on the new 6,500 square foot concrete skatepark in Titusville, Florida. All of the skate elements have been formed and the concrete pours are moving forward. In this photo, the mini-ramp’s “Santa Fe” color sparkles as the concrete is troweled and finished beneath the coping.
Dalton, Georgia Concrete Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
With the winter season coming to an end, Dalton’s skateboarding community is finally getting to indulge in the concrete wonderland that is their new 5,600 square foot concrete skatepark. For one Dalton skater, the warm weather is especially rewarding. In March of 2010, Victor Cervantes presented the Dalton City Council with 209 signatures requesting a skatepark, after his younger brother was hit by a car while skateboarding.
In August of that same year, Spohn Ranch was selected as the highest ranking respondent to a RFP for skatepark design/build services. After conducting public design workshops with Victor and his peers, we developed an efficient and responsible design that would maximize the project’s limited budget while satisfying the needs of the local skaters. By incorporating donated fill material we were also able to increase the flow of the park with varying elevation changes. With the design finalized, our field crews executed the earthwork, steel fabrication, concrete placement and shotcrete with a relentless dedication to finish and detail – ensuring Dalton’s park would stand the test of time.
Within weeks of its unofficial grand opening, the new skatepark at Dalton Civic Park has already become one of the City’s most well-utilized recreational facilities and will continue to shine as a testament to the ambitious spirit of skateboarding.
Suffolk, Virgina Skatepark Construction Progress, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
As sunny skies shine upon the Spohn Ranch crew, construction of Suffolk’s two new skateparks is nearing completion. Spohn Ranch was commissioned with the design/build of two skate spots at Lake Mead and Bennett’s Creek parks in late 2010.
With anticipation mounting after a stretch of poor weather, these parks will soon become a 2nd home for Suffolk’s skateboarding community. In the last week, our dedicated crew of professional skatepark builders has executed grading, earthwork, shotcrete and cast-in-place concrete construction – transforming the vision of Suffolk’s skaters into a living and breathing work of art. With all skate features complete at both sites, flatwork and final detail work will take place in the coming days. Stay tuned for photos from the grand opening of these skateparks!
Aurora, Illinois Concrete Skateparks (Skate & BMX), originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
Concrete casting is underway! Here the precision-cast components of Aurora’s two new skateparks are prepared for shipment to the construction site. Earlier this year, Spohn Ranch was commissioned to design and build separate skateboarding and BMX facilities for the City of Aurora. We wanted the local riders to have a great deal of pride in their distinct parks, so we cast several of the park’s features with colored concrete and brick texture.
By precision-casting some of the park’s most time-consuming features in our factory-controlled conditions, we are able to avoid weather delays and dramatically reduce our time on site. This state-of-the-art technology also enables us to cast pieces with fully-integrated stainless steel edging, an unparalleled method for increasing the durability of a skatepark.
Bemidji, Minnesota Community Skate Plaza, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.
This week, Spohn Ranch field crews will be wrapping up substantial completion of the construction on Bemidji, Minnesota’s highly anticipated community skatepark. As flatwork and final aesthetic detailing move forward, the park will prepare for its official grand opening at the beginning of November.
After weeks of battling intense rain and a consistently flooded job site, the hard work has finally paid off. As the final features were shot and poured this past week, it was becoming clear just how amazing this park was going to look and skate. Leading the charge as the project’s general contractor, Spohn Ranch worked in conjunction with California Skateparks to present the City of Bemidji with one of the Midwest’s most unique and modern skateable landscapes.
