Two Skateparks in Oakland, Calif., Demolished by State

KTVU reports Wasteland Skatepark and Bordertown Skatepark will cease to exist in the coming weeks as the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is in the process of demolishing the two skateparks in Oakland, Calif. Both parks were underneath elevated highways which are the property of the state of California. Despite the intervention of U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer several years ago, the city of Oakland refused to renew leases from the state this year.

That means any skateboarders found on the grounds of the skateparks would be trespassers. Should anyone get hurt, California would be liable for their injuries. The state allegedly had no choice but to shut it down.

In a time of economic recovery that hit California hard, both places could have been spots for teenagers to stay out of trouble. Skating is a way to forget about the real world for a while and just escape the every day rigors of life. Having a skatepark was one way to do that.

Even worse is that the bulldozers will be destroying one aspect of the Oakland community that can never be brought back. Even if the skateparks helped one child live a better life, it was worth their investment.

I find it hard to believe that the state of California and the city of Oakland couldn’t work out some kind of deal. The state government could have sold or leased the land for as little as one dollar so kids could have a place to play. In turn, volunteers could help keep the park running. Donations could be made to put a fence around it if security was needed.

Of course there are other skateparks in the San Francisco Bay area that skaters can frequent such as Oakland Vert . But none quite had the literal underground character that Wasteland or Bordertown did. Even with their quasi-scary names, both areas were at the forefront of DIY skateparks. They were put together by people who simply wanted to skate.

In terms of American skate culture, Caltrans ripping out a viable part of the community was perhaps one of the low points. When kids need positive role models and leaders all across this land, the city of Oakland has failed some of its citizens by giving up on two places considered sacred by teenagers and kids in the area.

William Browning’s son has been a beginning skateboarder since the summer of 2010. His observations on his son’s hobby choice have given him a new appreciation for the skating sports. His family lives in Branson, Mo.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *