RIP Derby Park?

[iwshilvdnfinland]

Saw this somewhere tonight... never been there but even I can feel the bummer from all the way over here

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

No fucking way. Its a santa cruz institution. They're probably just doing something to it. the sidewalk around it and the downramp on the other side were both later additions. People who don't even skate know and love derby there. I just don't see that happening in Santa Cruz.

[shred420]

i hope nothing is happening that is such a fun spot

[iwshilvdnfinland]

according to the illusion some serious shit is going down tomorrow.

DERBY SKATEPARK under attack code red	Small | Large

[sjconvulse]

they're redoing the whole snake, something about adding new concrete over the whole thing, there's a gathering going on at the park this friday (april 27th). come out and help everyone try to save some skate history.

[Nosferatu]

AHHHHHH!!!! Whatever happened to "if it ain't broke don't fix it?".

[Badmeaningood]

Ah man, I'm going on a cali trip this summer from the UK and this place was at the top of my "to-do" list. I hope that they are not changing it as I wanted to skate it just as it is.

[DRATER66]

DERBY SKATEPARK under attack code red	Small | Large

[stevedave]

i love derby as much as the next person, and agree that it shouldn't be fucked with....BUT that "illusion" guy is a FUCKIN DOUCHE!!!

[Donkey Lips]

i love derby as much as the next person, and agree that it shouldn't be fucked with....BUT that "illusion" guy is a FUCKIN DOUCHE!!!

Mind your tone, boy. Nobody fucking talks about the illusion like that around here.

[McBrandt]

It sounds like a resurfacing job. I was there like 6 years ago and the ground sucked then, so I can't imagine how it feels now. The city probably thinks they are doing the skaters a favor, and are going to be pretty confused when a group of skaters tries to stop them. I'm sure adding 4" of concrete will affect how it skates, but that thing never seemed to be perfectly designed to begin with. Half the fun is figuring the kinks out. We'll all just have to do that again. Maybe I'm mistaken on the whole thing, but a resurfacing doesn't sound like a bad thing. Actually gives me more of  a reason to get over there now that I live in the bay area.

[sweets]

I skated it during my honeymoon trip to S.F. last Summer. That place is rad and I can understand why the locals wouldn't want it touched. I don't think a face lift would hurt though.

[stevedave]

i love derby as much as the next person, and agree that it shouldn't be fucked with....BUT that "illusion" guy is a FUCKIN DOUCHE!!!

Mind your tone, boy. Nobody fucking talks about the illusion like that around here.

sorry man, I can't back that guy....I just can't do it.

[The Mess]

Derby has to be the oldest park still standing in CA. What else has survived that long? The dish? That's still their right? I love old skateparks. Would be cool to see a list of the oldest skateparks in the world.

[McBrandt]

As far as I know, Derby is the oldest concrete skatepark in the United States. Well worth a visit. I went there on my honeymoon trip too, back in '05. Funny.

[sjconvulse]

a friend of mine is posting stuff that the meeting at the park is today. if you're anywhere near santa cruz, head out.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

VICTORY!!!!
The city is reassessing the changes and is now only going to repair cracks and do basic changes instead of the 4 inch concrete addition thing.

I love the Illusion, I gotta say though, there have been several alterations to that park. The sidewalk was added in the 90's and the little down bank was put in in the 2000's.

Derby has to be the oldest park still standing in CA. What else has survived that long? The dish? That's still their right? I love old skateparks. Would be cool to see a list of the oldest skateparks in the world.

The dish is still around. I skated it a couple of years ago. Derby is way more fun. Petaluma and Santa rosa are newer but still have that awesome old school feel to them.

[mattofallmatts]

VICTORY!!!!
The city is reassessing the changes and is now only going to repair cracks and do basic changes instead of the 4 inch concrete addition thing.

I love the Illusion, I gotta say though, there have been several alterations to that park. The sidewalk was added in the 90's and the little down bank was put in in the 2000's.

Derby has to be the oldest park still standing in CA. What else has survived that long? The dish? That's still their right? I love old skateparks. Would be cool to see a list of the oldest skateparks in the world.

The dish is still around. I skated it a couple of years ago. Derby is way more fun. Petaluma and Santa rosa are newer but still have that awesome old school feel to them.

Arcata park too.

Arcata Park Montage 6	Small | Large

[managuense]

love derby, glad they arent adding 4 fuckin inches of concrete and metal coping. but there used to be a little snake run in santa cruz thats even older than derby, its at fredrick street park right above the harbor. the snake is gone but the last burm turn is still  there, for years it was just a little thing for kids on scooters but about a year ago they repaved it with asphalt for some reason. it gets boring quick but still a cool lil piece of skate hhistory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZ3-dvpyPs
	Small | Large

[The Mess]

love derby, glad they arent adding 4 fuckin inches of concrete and metal coping. but there used to be a little snake run in santa cruz thats even older than derby, its at fredrick street park right above the harbor. the snake is gone but the last burm turn is still  there, for years it was just a little thing for kids on scooters but about a year ago they repaved it with asphalt for some reason. it gets boring quick but still a cool lil piece of skate hhistory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZ3-dvpyPs

think i went there. which is the one rob and meek skate in wheels on fire? is that capitola?
it was above the harbor and you could just make out the last wall. so rad.. like archeological ruins or something. someone should do a skate history map with the old parks. the turf, kona... is anything left at the old carlsbad park (mcgill's)? old parks were so intriguing to me as a kid.

[sjconvulse]

VICTORY!!!!
The city is reassessing the changes and is now only going to repair cracks and do basic changes instead of the 4 inch concrete addition thing.

I love the Illusion, I gotta say though, there have been several alterations to that park. The sidewalk was added in the 90's and the little down bank was put in in the 2000's.

Derby has to be the oldest park still standing in CA. What else has survived that long? The dish? That's still their right? I love old skateparks. Would be cool to see a list of the oldest skateparks in the world.

The dish is still around. I skated it a couple of years ago. Derby is way more fun. Petaluma and Santa rosa are newer but still have that awesome old school feel to them.

i really hope that's the case. cause i just read this and it doesn't sound like what's going to happen.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20500570/derby-park-skatepark-changes-draw-skaters-concerns

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

shit. Mine was pretty unconfirmed. I just posted the construction fence photo on facebook and my friend in SC went down there, and that was his report back to me. It seemed like a good enough source to go with though.

[tkp]

"Derby was monumental... it bred professional skateboarders and kept the youth out of trouble for 45 years (if my math serves me right). Derby, thank you for hours of enjoyment and therapy-- when I needed you most, you were always there. Its like a family member dying. I can only hope that the new design comes close to how amazing the original was. To put it simply: Derby was always fun..." - barking wheels

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Can I be a dick and point out that the "derby is always fun" motto for that park is probably a reaction to a lot of people saying something along the lines of "Derby is fun for like 5 minutes" or will that piss everybody off?

[bandini]

I love derby & have great memories of skating it back in the 80s, but I gotta say, I'd be fine if they redid the concrete. The flat in parts of the snake run has gotten pretty damn rough.

But I'd rather have em leave it the way it is than fuck it up...

[shred420]

Can I be a dick and point out that the "derby is always fun" motto for that park is probably a reaction to a lot of people saying something along the lines of "Derby is fun for like 5 minutes" or will that piss everybody off?

I dont know about you man but i could skate derby all day long and never get tired of it, maybe if you cant handle a little rough tight tranny i could understand you comment.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Can I be a dick and point out that the "derby is always fun" motto for that park is probably a reaction to a lot of people saying something along the lines of "Derby is fun for like 5 minutes" or will that piss everybody off?

I dont know about you man but i could skate derby all day long and never get tired of it, maybe if you cant handle a little rough tight tranny i could understand you comment.

Yeah see...its kind of the opposite. Its pretty easy to skate and doesn't offer up that much. I can have fun there, but it gets boring pretty quick

[shred420]

yea those transfers over the hip in the begging are not easy i dont care what you say, you probably just dont try different things so you get bored.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

yeah, that first hip is pretty cool, and throws you right into the wall. Its got sketch appeal

[Nosferatu]

Yeah, the thing about derby is that if you are ever getting bored you probably aren't manning up and pushing yourself... Which I avoid by still just having fun carving and scratching grinds. The design is so simple and yet there is always more to be done. Having rounded edges made up of little rocks as coping is part of the appeal. I imagine that will change with the update though.