Author: rickcurran

We kind of missed the boat on this one, but today is “Go Skateboarding Day”, check out the website at www.goskateboardingday.org. On the site it says:

On June 21 skateboarders around the globe will celebrate the pure exhilaration, creativity, and spirit of one of the most influential activities in the world by blowing off all other obligations to go skateboarding!

Skateboarders everywhere will hold fundraisers, contests, protests, demo?s, they?ll skate across cities, gather in skateparks, stream into their local skate shop and some will even revel in the solitary act of skateboarding alone, all bringing together the skateboarding community in the grind heard around the world.

Um, ok, maybe we’ll just go for a skate if it’s not raining?? 😉 Or an impromptu bert slide contest?

UPDATE:

I went for a skate on the way home from work and it seemed more like ’Don’t Go Skateboarding Day’!!! No one there skating! Although one guy did show up after I’d been there 45 minutes!

No skateboarding happening here!

~Rick

Updates, shmupdates…

Here’s a bunch of photos from Saturday’s funday, there’s quite a fewof them but these are just a few of them. The day was pretty rad, greatweather, and a lot of people skating. It was definitely confirmationthat Daryl did a rad job of designing the park. If you were there Ihope you had a good time! (and didn’t get sunburnt!).

The crowds hanging out.

Another view of the park.

Spot the Blair competition…

Daryl gnarly frontside carve.

John front slashing.

Ben backside carve.

Ray stylin like it’s 1985…

The Ben Thomson Twins wallride to fakie.

Ross ollie – Dave frontside handplant attempt, or is it a miller flip? mmm…

Div ollies the bump.

Benson doing a fat method.

Dave grinds – Benson ollies the hip.

Div doing a big transfer from tranny to wallows flat bank.

Haggis doing a big tweaked melon.

Mark Foster carves curvacious concrete.

– Rick

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I’d like to thank everyone involved in both the celebration, and building the skatepark itself:

Dundee City Council for funding and being willing to push the envelope. Particularly: Karen Clifford, Gerry O’Brien, Tom Allan, Allan Melville, Theresa Lynnand all of her Arts Team, Peter Sandwell, Ally Lawson (and all hisops,) Steve Grimmond, Stewart Murdoch, Colin Ainsworth, Lewis Thomson,Mark Kummerer, Gordon Cameron, Alan Howieson, Daryl McKenzie, SarahMcEwan, Verity Scott, Stephen Schofield, Tony Boffey, Kenny Lindsay,Eve Jones, Rowena Wallace, Malcolm Ross, and lots of other very hardworking people in D.C.C. with whom I?m doubtlessly in big trouble for forgetting.

Alison Urie, Greame McKerracher and all the volunteers from Hot Chocolate.

Skaters With A Vision; for patience and belief in the design process.

Clachan, Duracrete and Gilmartins for their actual sweat as contractors.

I can?’t possibly cover all the skaters who have been there from thestart of the project with support and belief; but here?s a VERY weelist (please don’?t feel insulted if your name is not here, we know whoyou are, and it?’s Monday morning, post-event, I?m still knackered!)Kenny Omond (The Godfather), Gordon Dear, Rick Curran, Nick Johnson,Ray Dower, Mark Foster, Ben Thompson, Ali Low, John Anderson, CraigMcKnight, Scott Malcolm, Andy Dobson, Alex Craig, The Paterson bros,HB, Percy Dean, TLB, Ben Powell, Colin Kennedy, Alex Irving, KennyAitken, Smod, Fat Andy, Sketchy Pete, Jack Walker, Blair McCafferty,?Haggis,? The Bolland bros, Benson, Div, Stu?Oh I give up!!!! THE ENTIRE DUNDEE, GLASGOW, EDINBURGH, ABERDEEN, FIFE, SCOTTISH, AND UK SKATEBOARDING FAMILY!!! There are just TOO many people to get in here; sorry if you ain?t personally named!!!! 🙂

The now-regular skatepark locals (not just skaters), for being a reliable, friendly bunch of folk!
Just show up at the park. You?ll meet them; and they?ll show you the park?s best lines.

GFM; for all the measuring over the years. (You all know who you are)

Mitch ?Audiowave; for clear sounds.

The Doghouse; for consistent hospitality.

The ?Skate or Die? Sound System

All the bands that played both day and night! You guys ALL rock.

The Corner for the water and fruit!!

Focus Skateboard Store

Skateboard Scotland

Everybody I?ve not listed here. You know who you are and we (who ride the park) love you!

(I personally want to thank Simone O?Callaghan for her patience andbelief, and my whole family; be they Biological, Step, or Bro-lated)

– Daryl

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Press and Journal Article (the paperitself has a photo of Jack going big in the bowl.)

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Answers to questions:

Lewis: Extremely unlikey; allowing camping etc in a public parkwould open up all sorts of cans of worms:major insuranceliabilities, health and safety, residential complaints, maintenanceissues, being a potential late-night focus for anti-social behaviour by’others,’etc etc etc.

Remember folks: it ain’t Livi. the setting is very different. Houses are a lot closeretc.

Sorry… I’d love an all night, silliness-fuelled,crash-in-a-bush-because-you-can’t-find-your-tent, skate punk party too!But it isn’t going to happen in Dudhope park.

I think the model we created on Saturday; where peeps get wildduring the daylight, then retire to a music venue / pub is the wisestsolution.

As for ’getting a kitty together for gennies / lights;’ whynot get a kitty together for direct park improvements? ie:morepaving,polished stonebenches etc. Or to help pay for formore events like an afternoon of music with the Skate-or-Die PA(would need an afternoonspublic liability insurance cover.)But not past say; 7pm or something.

Real, permanentlights ARE being sorted… trust me.

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BTW We covered all the costs and made £55 for the skatepark on Saturday night!

It’s a start eh?

thats a bag o’crete and some slabs at least… 🙂

– Daryl

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Congratulations to Traer: He’s gonna be a dad! – as heard today at the park

-Daryl

A few pictures from Sunday 12th April, weirdly it snowed a bit whilst I was there trying to get some shots but it didn’t last.

The pictures are a bit on the large side so sorry if you’re viewing this on a dialup connection!

Blair – Crooked grind

Roach – frontside ollie

Jack – 360 flip

“BSTS” – “FS50” (nicely abbreviated to save time!)

Jack – nollie flip

~Rick

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Want to know if it’s dry in Dundee? Check the webcam: http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk
Remember; the skatepark dries out pretty fast if given half a chance. Bring a brush to be sure.

In fact, bring a brush anyway for the dust and small stones…

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EVENTS on MAY 6th: See post 5-03-06 for details.

Potential line up below, timing to be arranged:
Bands: ***

Uncle John and Whitelock (confirmed)

Mercury Tiltswitch (confirmed)

Effigy

Vaarstraat 66

Forever Ends Tomorrow

Random Acts

Fragile

AVX

Chromakeyer

3 Times Round

Mr Jinx(Scotland Yard recordings)

Semay’s band – name unknown (maybe)

DJs:

Nick

Skate or Die Sound System

Plug n Play

We have enough bands now… even with a few pullouts, we’re rockin anyway. Thanks to those still volunteering!

***So far we are planning for the DAYTIME BANDS to only have to bring their instruments; for liability insurance purposes. We will hopefully arrange a complete PA including backline /drumkit.

At NIGHT; you are welcome to bring your own guitar amps etc. as we will only have the main PA. Treat it like a normal gig.

We will be contacting bands soon to let them know when they are playing (unless previously arranged: Unc J & W, MercuryTiltswitch,Fragile, Mr. Jinx, Vaarstraat 66 = night time )
thanks!

-d

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Contractors will soon begin paving/adding concrete against the two worst muddy slopes. we will also get a bit of extra standing space too. The benches will also be put in permanently.

peas

d

Hi, sorry to take so long getting some new pictures up but I haven’tbeen able to get on site during daylight or when the weather hasn’tbeen totally pants until today. The site was closed off so I just tooka few photos from outside the fences, fortunately there is a convenientcabin outside of the fence so I was able to get on top of that and geta good overview shot.

You can see in the pictures that the entrance way into the park isunderway now, also the final bank section leading along from the wallride is also done now too. So there’s not too much left to do to thepark itself but there’s a lot of landscaping to be done still and afence to go up around the park. I haven’t spoken to anyone on site thisweek so I’m not sure when they think it will be completely done.

Well, enjoy the pictures!

~Rick

CONTRARY TO ANY FORGED ’COMMENTS’ BY ME: the parkwill NOT be ready to skate until the fencing and basic landsforming is done tothe councils satisfaction. STAY OUT, IT IS STILL A CONSTRUCTIONSITE. ANYONE CAUGHT BEHIND FENCE WILL BE IN BIG TROUBLE.

Lots of things still to sort out in the construction!! Please be patient, not long now!

Thanks,

Daryl (the real one)

Entrance overview.

View from top of portacabin.

View from East end of park.

Note: 17/1/06

TheClachan boys reckon they will be done in approx 2 weeks. Not sureif this allows for legal access yet. I will be negoitatingtowards access for all as soon as it is possible, but be patient.

Think about it… the weather is rubbish, there are still lots ofrough bits… it won’t nearly be as much fun to skate it now as it willbe when it’s FINISHED PROPERLY!

There have been other bits poured around xmas time that weremessed up by bikers and skaters in the site when they shouldn’t havebeen. You can SEE THE TRACKS.

I went up today to have a good look at the surface, and spoke to them about bits that need fixed/modified.

Ispent a good couple of hours personally scraping crunchy/splattery bitsoff the surface, and Clachan will still need to spend a few days with abig buffing machine taking more roughness off of the flats etc.

***Thereare several bits that are getting cut out and re-filled (attentionAlan) so there will be WET CONCRETE in subtle places… like the wallride, the middle of ’Wallos’ etc. Please don’t mess it up because we can’t afford to keep cutting and filling…

The easiest way to avoid messing up these patches is: DON’T GO IN AT ALL.***

BE COOL.

Thanks,

Daryl

Re Benches (sarah)

the two curved bits are technically benches, but obviously semi skateable too.

We are looking at ways to provide seating areas outside the park.

The grass mounding will be there too, eventually. Perhaps stepped for sitting. Maybe real benches, who knows…

peas

18.01.06

Construction: I believe they were going to pour the tarmac entranceways today (Wednesday)

Photo update tomorrow:Thursday 19th Jan.

Large areas of flat are very bumpy from sloshes of excess concrete. Most of it comes relatively easily off the actual structural concrete. But the need a machine to do it properly.
And it It really DOES need to be done to make the park have a decent, safe ridable surface.

Right now there are so many dollops, splashes, and crunchy bits stuck to the park, that is actually dangerous.

It can be really smooth in one section … then a minefield of crud and grit.

The kind you don’t see; It’s the same colour as the rest of the’crete. The kind that seems engineered to be perfect forstopping-skateboard-wheels-absolutely-dead. Or large washes of littlebumps that kill all your speed / shred your flesh when fallen on.

Just right to send the unaware home, in severe pain. Don’t bother.Wait til it’s done. It’s so close and it’ll be so much nicer to ride.I’m not talking ’polished,’ Just smooth…and safe.

All the coping and grindables are mucked up with concrete too, so not much use yet either.

The wallride section has wheel-stopping patches horrible enough to give you nightmares. Needs critical patching and smoothing.

I’ll say it again; it ain’t done yet…

They say that they need a number of properly dry days to work onbuffing/cleaning the flats. Although the concrete itself has set, and is ’Dry’ as such; anyvisible moisture soaked onto the surface makes the dust turn into an unworkablesludge. It needs to stay as a dry powder so the abrasive action of thedisc doesn’t get gummed up.

Last real hurdle. Fear not.

Re: Soundsystem, Nice one. Yes certainly a spring opening bash is definitely in offing. No fear.

V Doubtful about camping though. Park not big enough / far enough away from houses.

Daryl was keen to see some different angles of the park whilst away on his trip, so here’s a few other viewpoints of the park. I’m not quite sure these are exactly the different angles Daryl was thinking of but I thought the shape of different parts of the park was interesting to look at, plus it’s something different to look at on the site anyway seeing as there’s been nothing happening on site for the last week or so!!!

I took these a few days ago when it was frosty first thing in the morning, I hope you enjoy the pictures!

~Rick

Hi, a few photos here to show current progress. Just about all the concrete is poured now, the wallride corner has been done as well as a few small remaining areas. The pyramid hip has been poured too.

This will be the last update for a week or two as there won’t be too much happening over the Christmas holidays. I’ll possibly get around to putting a few other photos online if I’ve got time.

Overview from entrance area.

View of corner wallride.

Wider view of Corner / Wallride.

Pyramid hip.

View up Wallows.

View out of the Bowl.

Well, that’s it for now. Just a quick note to ask people to please STOP bickering in the comments, drop the issue about the damage to the park, any comments about this will be removed from the site so think twice before posting dumb messages please!

Oh yeah, the site should be looking a bit different again now, if not reload the page a few times and it should work!

~Rick

Ok, time for another update. Duracrete are back on site working fast as usual, the molehill has been sprayed and they’re working on the other transitions leading out of the bowl around the molehill area.

The wallride / corner section is being prepped, meshed etc. This was an area Daryl was a bit worried about as some of the guys didn’t quite seem to get exactly how it was supposed to work, but Iain seemed to understand how it should be. Looking at the mesh they’ve started to put in place I think they’ve got the right idea, Daryl, it should blend together quite nicely 🙂 Part of the problem was because of the fact the wall was built first whereas it should have been done as part of the bank at the sametime and it would have made life easier for Clachan. It’s looking how it should be though I think.

Overview from the park side.

Profile of the wallride / corner section, I asked Iain to push the mesh in a bit to show it should look when fastened in place properly. It basically flows from the flat bank profile nearest to vertical when it meets the actual corner, very interesting piece of the park I reckon. The mesh will be pulled back into the wall a bit so it will flow in a bit more smoothly than it may look now.

A wider overview of the wallride / corner section, a little bit of lense distortion going on there in this shot so it’s a little bit fisheyed in the centre but you’ll get the idea.

Overview from near the pyramid hip, newly sprayed molehill visible in the centre.

Closer view of the molehill.

West corner overview, molehill and concrete being sprayed.

That’s it for now, the pyramid hip should have been sprayed today too, plus a few of the other unsprayed areas.

Just to reiterate Goosho’s comments in the previous post, please remember that progress has been held up slightly by theweather and it will be late January before the park will be skateable as it takes 28 days to cure and properlyharden. Also noone will be allowed to skate it until allthe groundwork and hills/fencing has been completed as it will still officially be a construction site until that time. So everyone needs to be extra patient, especially those certain people who I won’t mention by name as they’ve been mentioned in the comments often enough. PLEASE DON’T SKATE IT UNTIL IT’S PROPERLY READY!

Also, on the note of the damage to the park, who did it etc, can we leave off the flame war / abuse etc about this, enough has been said about this already. The damage isn’t the end of the world, it will be fixed and won’t affect the park. With that said let’s drop all the comments about that and just focus on the park and how rad it’s going to be.

Okay, I hope that didn’t sound too much like a Jerry Springer signoff there…

Cheers,

~Rick

Hi, Rick here filling in now that Daryl is on his wee excursion to Mexico and Oz. Here’s an update for all you concrete-hungry people out there! There won’t be another until next week though, Duracrete are back onsite next week so it’ll be looking like all the concrete will be pretty much poured.

Newly poured concrete in there now.

Overview from the Park.

Closeup overview, platforms on the bowl have been poured and it looks pretty good.

These small trannies have been poured now too, looking very smooth!

Another view of the small tranny area (I have no idea what to call these bits, Daryl, have you named these bits?)

One more bit of concrete to pour for the platform area near the corner.

The new angled grindbox is poured and joins it horizontal sibling.

Overview from above the grindboxes.

The pyramid hip is ready to pour, the top of it has been poured already.

South corner overview from bowl to hip.

Ah, the mogul was being prepared today, ready for Duracrete to do their stuff.

Ok, well that’s it for now. More next week once Duracrete are back on site.

Cheers,

~Rick

Hi, just adding this 360 degree panorama of the park as of today. You need the Flash plugin to view this, just move your mouse left or right over the image and it should rotate.

It might look a little odd in places due to the images being fairly roughly patched together with lense distortion affecting things a bit too, you get the over-all idea though of what the park feels like.

Just a few photos of the park covered in snow! The snow was pretty much gone by the next day.

Overview of the park

East corner view

~Rick

Rick here with a few shots. It was very wet day today but I quickly grabbed a few shots in between the pouring rain (again!) on my way to work. The pictures are a wee bit ropey as they were taken with my phone and it was pouring down so I was taking them as fast as possible to avoid drowning my phone!
Overview from the park.

A closer view of the undersurface, there’s mesh on top of that now too.

View of the corner, more structure up now so I guess they must be going to pour concrete in there, if it ever stops raining. ;(

~Rick

Daryl is away for a few days so he asked me to take a few pictures in his absence, so here’s a few pictures of what’s been happening. The only thing I really noticed different today is that they seem to have removed some of the metal mesh from the corner for some reason so I’m not sure what’s been going on there.

View of the park coming from the West.

View of the park from up above.

View from the East corner.

Closeup of the corner, you can see that some of the mesh has been removed so there must have been some kind of problem there.

That’s it for today, Daryl is back today so I’m sure he’ll find out what’s been going on.