Scottsdale skate parks

The designs of buildings these days, not
only entice the eye of an onlooker but the
mind of a skateboarder as well.

What a person views as an ordinary set
of stairs and a handrail, a skater views as a
kick fl ip or backside board slide.

Although many buildings and structures
are tempting to skaters, skate parks don’t
have the hassle with policemen or security
guards by having the risk of getting kicked
out.

“It doesn’t stop us from coming back the
next day,” Joseph Bergdoll, an ASU student,
said.

Once the perfect spot has been found,
skaters will come often to skate it.

ASU has a problem with skaters, and
skaters are kicked out daily. However, ASU
built a small skate park near campus where
students can now skate and work on their
tricks without interfering with parking
structures and campus buildings.

One of the more popular parks in the Valley
is the Eldorado Skate Park, better known
as The Wedge. This skate park has been
open for skaters since the early 90s. The
Wedge was built because local skaters used
to skate on the water divider that goes under
the bridge on McDowell, says Dan Miller,
Eldorado Park manager. The skaters went
to a committee and got the City of Scottsdale
to build them a skate park.

“Me and my friends would all beg our
parents to take us down to The Wedge
Skate Park every weekend, and we would
skate around and try new tricks,” Bergdoll
said.

“The skaters that go down there are
more community-based,” Miller said.
With the more community-based environment,
it gives a more relaxed, comfortable
and safe experience.

“Mostly I always go to a park,” Paul Sandstrom
said, an ASU student, adding, “The
wedge is my favorite. I like the relaxed feeling
and it is perfect to just skate.”

With the warmer weather there are
more people at the park, which leads to
more people going to business buildings
and skating where they may not be welcome.
“It gives skaters a place to skate,” Miller
said.