"I'd rather be out on the street without guards" 20 year old student, London.
Recently (Thursday 25 March until Saturday 19 April) there was an underground skatepark at Selfridges (Entrance on Orchard Street, W1). (The HTC One Skatepark). To myself and cited friend, this could not have come at a stranger time. Long Live Southbank (LLSB) have been fighting for the right to keep the undercroft skatepark free, public space as the Southbank Centre proprietors argue their case of expanding their buildings and galleries (very generalised summary).
Southbank Centre are claiming all sorts of bizarre reasons, one being that they would create space where young people can meet and get into art... Clearly the skatepark is one such meeting place, which is inclusive of all and completely free 24/7. The undercroft is the oldest skatepark and one of the most famous skate spots in the world, having been skated for 30+ years.
With thousands of persons signing the petition supporting LLSB, the plans for redevelopment have been put on hold for a few more months. - This standoff has been going on for months now (and even years if you count the deterrents used by the Southbank complex) and Selfridges chose now to host an underground skatepark?
The vibe of the place was to mimic the well skated areas on the street ...but it was underground ... Surrounded by four walls... With ground rules.
This seems to be kind of missing the point with street skating - you take advantage of the space around you and utilise that in a free way, not given rules and copies of buildings to skate on.
With its bright lights and borders around the outside, the underground skatepark felt... Artificial. You could see that people were enjoying themselves and could get good pics of tricks, but the timing felt quite cheeky - like a sort of challenge - if people enjoy a skatepark made for that sole purpose, instead of an organic use of free space, then why leave the undercroft intact?
I get how skateparks are areas to play in and learn your footing as a beginner (or maybe you prefer indoor skateparks), but the street has a different vibe. To repeat my friend, "I'd rather be out on the street without guards".
In the upcoming months as the Southbank undercroft is again discussed for redevelopment, remember that the space is organic, created by the people out of love for the sport/mode of transportation, not because of financial gain, and that the space is free for all to use and enjoy, not some barred off zoo enclosure.
Video links
Recently (Thursday 25 March until Saturday 19 April) there was an underground skatepark at Selfridges (Entrance on Orchard Street, W1). (The HTC One Skatepark). To myself and cited friend, this could not have come at a stranger time. Long Live Southbank (LLSB) have been fighting for the right to keep the undercroft skatepark free, public space as the Southbank Centre proprietors argue their case of expanding their buildings and galleries (very generalised summary).
Southbank Centre are claiming all sorts of bizarre reasons, one being that they would create space where young people can meet and get into art... Clearly the skatepark is one such meeting place, which is inclusive of all and completely free 24/7. The undercroft is the oldest skatepark and one of the most famous skate spots in the world, having been skated for 30+ years.
With thousands of persons signing the petition supporting LLSB, the plans for redevelopment have been put on hold for a few more months. - This standoff has been going on for months now (and even years if you count the deterrents used by the Southbank complex) and Selfridges chose now to host an underground skatepark?
The vibe of the place was to mimic the well skated areas on the street ...but it was underground ... Surrounded by four walls... With ground rules.
This seems to be kind of missing the point with street skating - you take advantage of the space around you and utilise that in a free way, not given rules and copies of buildings to skate on.
With its bright lights and borders around the outside, the underground skatepark felt... Artificial. You could see that people were enjoying themselves and could get good pics of tricks, but the timing felt quite cheeky - like a sort of challenge - if people enjoy a skatepark made for that sole purpose, instead of an organic use of free space, then why leave the undercroft intact?
I get how skateparks are areas to play in and learn your footing as a beginner (or maybe you prefer indoor skateparks), but the street has a different vibe. To repeat my friend, "I'd rather be out on the street without guards".
In the upcoming months as the Southbank undercroft is again discussed for redevelopment, remember that the space is organic, created by the people out of love for the sport/mode of transportation, not because of financial gain, and that the space is free for all to use and enjoy, not some barred off zoo enclosure.
Video links
Undercroft
HTC One Skatepark
Southbank Centre plan
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