” The Big-O Pipe in Montreal is what many call Canada’s most infamous skate spot. The Pipe is to Canadian skateboarding what San Francisco’s Embarcadero was to US skateboarding, and, interestingly, both sites were constructed without any expectations that they would attract skateboarders—they were just aesthetically pleasing architectural design elements. ” Click here to read the rest of the article.
“We have a national event series that’s happening in Canada this year, for the first time it’s like a new pathway to becoming an Olympic athlete,” Guglia said to CTV’s Your Morning. Read the rest of the article here.
The Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough has been working since the winter of 2019 to create and skatepark in the Honoré-Mercier park, in collaboration with the Association Skateboard Montréal with a committee of locals skateboarders. To read the city’s write up (only in French) click here.
New pieces, graffiti, was added to the Van Horne Skatepark. To see more of the photos click here.
“When did the transition from concrete parks to wooden ramps occur?
It was between 1980 and 1984. A four-year timespan. A year in skateboarding is a long fucking time. It was kind of sad for all of us, out here in my world. The skateparks were our babysitters, it’s where we grew up. We spent a lot of time there. You’re either in the streets, street skating, at somebody’s back yard ramp or if you were fortunate enough, you were at the skateboard park on the weekends. It was sad because all of the stuff was going away but it was also kind of empowering. A lot of people were dropping out and growing up, going to school, getting jobs and moving on with of their lives. The rest of us were left to fend for ourselves, to figure out what we wanted to do with it. I was fortunate enough to grow up near Lance Mountain so we started riding Lance’s a lot.” Read the rest of the article here.
“She’s {Alexis Sablone} an architect, illustrator, and all-round experimental designer, who has grown as one of skateboarding’s most competitively decorated women. She’s designed skateable sculptures in Sweden, spoken on conference panels in London, and put her artistic mark on brands who sponsor her.” Read the rest of the article here.
General interest announcement:
(closing of the lights and temporary partial closing of the Van Horne skatepark between Wednesday the 25th and Saturday the 28th)
Why?
The Mapp festival is organizing an interactive projection event that will take place at Skatepark on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th.
Three things to know:
1- The public is invited to participate in different ways from 18:30 on 27th and 28th
2- Some of the best skaters in Montreal will be present. It should be a good show!
3- The ASM is enthusiastic about all this but we have absolutely nothing to do with the design of the project. If it’s nice then all the credit goes to the mapp organization and their Moment Factory collaborator.
Van Horne skatepark (Plateau-Mont-Royal) opening
15h30 – Skateboard lessons by JM Court
4.30 pm – Jam session
17h30 – Demo with special guest
7:30 pm – Bottleck Jay and High Hills concert
9:00 pm – Time to start enjoying the skatepark
“Once the competition ends, the Vans Skatepark will be free for skaters of all levels — and that’s a good thing for Montreal, says local pro Annie Guglia who is busy training for Tokyo.”
“It’s crazy to think that this is in Montreal, right next to the Olympic Stadium,” she said. “This is the best terrain park we have in Canada.” Read the rest of the article here.
Nuff said.