We like to believe that every skatepark design is better than our last and Bakersfield’s latest skatepark at North Beardsley Park is a prime example of that.
After a successful design and build project for the City of Bakersfield in 2014, we wanted to raise the bar even higher when North of the River Recreation and Park District hired Spohn Ranch as their skatepark designer and builder in late 2015.
Located in the Oildale neighborhood, directly off Airport Drive, the new skatepark will occupy the site of a defunct swimming pool complex. While construction will include extensive demolition, the hole created by the former pool’s deep end will serve as the starting point for the skatepark’s central below-grade bowl. We are also making a few cosmetic enhancements to the existing spectator seating area.
Incorporating lessons learned from 2014’s Planz Park Skatepark, a main focus for the North Beardsley Skatepark is spacing and flow. In addition to three distinct and spacious “zones”, long stretches of bank and quarter-pipe open the door for continuous circular flow. Spohn Ranch’s signature balance of street and transition is also evident with an amoeba bowl, stair set and array of ledges. Finally, a steel oil derrick sculpture at the entrance will pay tribute to Oildale’s industrial heritage.
Skatepark construction is slated for summer 2016, so stay tuned for updates!
To see some of our other skatepark designs, click here.
