Bridge Construction Shutters Famous Skate Area

Bridge construction in New York City threatens to shut down an infamous and informal skatepark.

1 minute read

May 16, 2010, 1:00 PM PDT

"[F]or generations of skateboarders, and an increasing number of BMX bikers, the place carries an iconic name and a sacred meaning. It is the Brooklyn Banks. It is the place to go, to be, and to be seen.

'It's the best skate park in the world,' the professional skateboarder Mike Vallely said near the end of a popular YouTube video posted earlier this year to pay homage to the threatened Brooklyn Banks, 'because it wasn't supposed to be a skate park.'"

But an upcoming four-year renovation project at the Brooklyn Bridge will shutter the area, replacing it with a staging zone for construction equipment.

FULL STORY: To Fix Bridge, Skateboard Mecca May Be Lost for Years

Thursday, May 13, 2010 in The New York Times

Infrastructure Land Use Urban Development New York New York City Skateboarding Brooklyn Bridge Skate Parks View More

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