"Best Of" Skate Park Breaks Ground Near Unisphere

Earlier this week, construction got started on a new skate park near the 1964 World's Fair site in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The 16,000 square foot course, which is being built above the old Astral Fountain, will feature elements from around the city: "Original Brooklyn Banks 9-stair replica rail; Union Square rail/steps Police Plaza 7-stair rail/various stairs; Ziegfeld ledge; Chrystie Park ledge; Exchange Place street gap; JFK Banks; Con Ed Banks; Pyramid ledges; Flushing Meadows Park ledge-over-the-grate replica."

The skate park is being created in anticipation of a skateboarding competition, the Maloof Money Cup that will take place June 5 and 6. The Maloof Money Cup donated the park through the NYC Parks & Recreation Department's Adopt-a-Park program, and Joe Maloof, whose family owns the Sacramento Kings basketball team, said, "New York was first on our list of expansion markets because its the headquarters for skateboarding on the East Coast and is home to some of the most iconic skate spots in the world. With the Brooklyn Banks now closed for four years and the Unisphere set to close indefinitely, the timing was perfect for us to bring the Maloof Money Cup to New York City."

YourNabe reports the project was given the go-ahead by the Community Board and Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy, whose chairwoman Pat Dolan said, "I wouldn’t say I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm, but I did not see anything wrong with it" (since it would be open to the public).

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By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on March 26, 2010 1:45 PM

Comments [rss]

Robert

Parts of this is wrong, the unisphere is going to be re-opened in the summer, they are just fixing the piping.

newsyspice

I think it's great. I'm at that park, on my bike, several days a week. A skate park will bring in people and money. It might help to keep skateboarders off the other structures, like the UniSphere, saving them from wear and tear. And a skateboarding structure is MUCH better than an abandoned fountain.

As for lawsuits -- you could say the same about bikes.

The city's been patching up things at Flushing Meadows, little by little -- the historic boathouse at the lake and the Unispere are both being worked on now.

It's a beautiful park. It deserves more promotion.

thewildpansy

It's great except for the street gaps in front of the hubbas/rails/stairs...WTF...

jles

yeah, noticed that too. I bet that rendering isn't 100% to scale cause that would be stoooooooopid.

americaonline

No bikes allowed. What the fuck.

prolly

The banks are still "open"

longacre

Will Mr. Maloof be paying for all the lawsuits resulting from skaters becoming quadriplegics at this new park? Nope, we'll be paying for that. Thanks for nothing.

Erika

I am the parent of a son who skateboards and I want to say that this park is long overdue. I have read many negative comments about the park, and just want to tell all those people to get a life. That's right you heard me. People are gawking about the city being sued if a kid gets hurt, no one in the skate community is going to sue the city, People who do participate in extreme sports know the risks and are willing to deal with the consequences, besides people are killed or mamed in all kinds of main stream sports everyday and no one even bats an eye. Let's be real this has nothing to do with being sued, people just have a stigma attached to skateboarders. Just another form of ignorant predjudice we throw out into the world. I think I speak for all the parents of kids who skateboard when I say our kids are good decent kids who we are extremely proud of and we will do whatever it takes to make sure they have an arena for their sports. (IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT TO DAMNED BAD )

jles

I hate to break the news to you that this park is only temporary.... BUT ROCK IT MOM!

Erika

I am not a religous person, but I will pray that people with power get brains and people with brains get power and people like me will be given the strength to endure people like you in the mean time.

jles

Wow, that was unnecessarily harsh. I thought I liked you Mom (do you even know what you're commenting on?). But, anyway.... that is EXCELLENT news that the park is permanent. I heard it was temporary, but i'm glad it's not. I'm 26, and have been a die-hard skateboarder since I was 10. And, I work in commercial real estate finance, not just a stoner living off my parents. And, i'll do everything I can to keep your dream of giving kids safe places to skate alive. (that's your dream right?)Hopefully my job can one day facilitate my ability to do that.

Erika

You may think it is unneccesary but I am sick and tired of people trying to shut good kids down. I have enough problems trying to get my problemed children I work with

everyday to do something with their lives. Your comments come across as negative on the site that is why I reacted to you the way I did. You need to make yourself clearer. Your comment about the park only being temporary sounded as if you did not want the park. If that is not what you meant then I am truely sorry.

jles

APOLOGY ACCEPTED!

But Mom, let's not forget that this is a two way street! Not only do we need to empower the public to recognize skateboarding as a wonderful productive activity for kids, but we need to empower young skateboarders to be respectful members of the public! Too often growing up have I watched skateboarders vandalize property, litter, smoke weed in public, and just generally embody the very stereotype that results in categorical dismissal of skateboarding as a legitimate activity worthy of funding. Perfect example.... TO THIS DAY, whenever I skateboard with kids 15-19, and they see a police car, THEY AUTOMATICALLY START RUNNING! Way to not look guilty guys! (to be fair, teenagers just tend to do this in general)

If we're gonna end the stigma attached to skateboarding, we're gonna need everyone to wise up! Not just lawmakers and people with money.

Erika

I don't know where you get your info from but it is not temporary. My son will be at the Maloof Money Cup and he is the photographer. The park is being donated to the public once the competition is completed, and I have enough people backing me to make sure it happens.

jles

Hah, you act like building a skatepark in NYC is something radically new and that there is no legal precedent to prevent something like that.

It's called "skate at your own risk", and, if I'm not mistaken, the city isn't liable for anything.

I think you should worry more about paying indefinitely to provide healthcare for 30 million more americans....skateboarders or not.

Erika

I think you should be more worried about the money being used to house young kids in jail who did not have an education or athletic outlet to keep them in check. Stop picking on kids who are doing something constructive.