At the end of 2014 we released the Full length video for my skateboard shop, Authentic Board Supply, located in Surrey, BC, Canada. We had only been open for a year at this time, so to have a solid team that could put out footage in a short amount of time was awesome and we wanted to share with the world. Starring some true Surrey/Langley locals this video was recognized Canada wide and helped push a few of these guys to the next levels of sponsorships. Andy Anderson, Shawn Beaupre, and Dominic Devries were definitely the 3 top billed skaters that people wanted to see, and all 3 of their parts were mind blowing in their own respect. We gave our hearts and souls to the public while filming for this video, and I’m pretty sure everyone enjoyed it
– For the Love of the Game
Here is the full length video released on YouTube for the first time
Filmed and Edited by: Dallas Lang & Hippie Mike
Starring: Andy Anderson, Shawn Beaupre, Dominic Devries, Hippie Mike, Jay Mykyte, Andreas Tsougrianis, Weston Ganger, Weston Hutchinson, Doogie Lester, Mathew McCauley, Francois LeBlanc, and more…
The times are always changin’ and it gets tough to keep up sometimes, but one thing that’s always kept me goin’ is my skateboard. After many years of living life as a skater I’ve always been able to adjust with the changes. As I get older, I get wiser, but I also seem to get bigger and slower. And it makes it tough to be who you were back when you were just growing up annihilating the streets and livin’ life in your Glory Daze. But I always find my way home.
Surrey is the place I call home, and I’m very proud of what I have helped to create in this city for the skateboard community to enjoy. But as the population of skateboarders seemed to be constantly growing here in Surrey, the population of Skate Shops was diminishing. And now there is only 1 true “Skater Owned and Operated” Skateboard Shop left in this city.
So I went on a search to find that little shop hidden away in the heart of Cloverdale, venturing through the streets and skate parks of surrey until I finally got there. It was calling my name to come home.
I found my destination, took off my jacket and prepared to stay a while.
It was the first closed in bowl with coping in Surrey, and when it was in the planning stage for the Guildford Park I was very adamant that we got a Bowl. There was too much of the same street stuff popping up everywhere and those parks get boring after a while. So Guildford Bowl was built, along with a tiny, somewhat pointless Street Section. Of course now you have to be thankful for the street section because that’s all that will be skateable for the next year and a half until the construction is complete. Once this Lap Pool is built then New Line will come back and build something fresh for us to ride in the remaining footage between the building and street section.
This Park helped to teach a lot of the young kids in Surrey how to hit coping. I remember when it was new and at my Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey Contests there the young kids would all avoid the Bowl and just ride the street stuff, and now almost everyone focuses completely on the Bowl at those events. It also created a group of friends that localized that place, Allen Handley, Myke Johnson and Randy. These guys all know how to shred this spot. It’s a shame that we’re losing it, but life goes on.
Here’s the Video by Protest Skateboards of our Final Film Session at Guildford Bowl. Lots of people showed up including Andy Anderson, Brad “Fighter” Muscat, Jordan Strong, Dale Kind, “Giver” Michael James, Riley Allen Clerihue, Adam Lewis, Josh Lewis, “Hasbrown” Mike Shulze, Dustin Locke, Derek Mayer, Stephan Burke, Matt Cook, Ryan Brynelson, Bachouch Michael, Myke Johnson, Randy, myself and Allen Handley who absolutely destroyed it all day. No one will miss that Bowl as much as this guy.
I’m not completely sure when the fence will go up and the Bowl will come down but it could happen at any given moment, so take your chances and get there for one last session
Welcome to Episode 4 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we are chillin’ in the sunshine at the White Rock Res, a complete Do It Yourself Skate Spot located in South Surrey with the man I simply call The Jigga. He works as a Graphic Designer and owns a clothing company called AXS Gear, and will go down in history as one of Surrey’s best skaters of all time, give it up for the King of Style, Jay Mykyte!!
Hippie Mike: What’s up Jay? So first off, how old are you and how long have you been skateboarding?
Jay Mykyte: Uhhh, 31 years and been skatin’ since like, man, ever since I was a little kid basically, you know since I was 13…14
HM: And why did you become a skateboarder?
Jay: Everything else just seemed kinda boring at it only ot you to a point and then it was just like, over it…you know?
HM: I’m referring to you as the King of Style because that’s what I heard Geoff Dermer call you one time, and he’s all about styles. How much do you concentrate on the actual trick you’re trying, and how much do you think about what it’s gonna look like when you stick it?
Jay: I think I worry more or less about like the last part, and that’s landing it. I try to block everything else out, and then as for like style, I don’t know man, I think it’s really just the way I do my thing so I don’t really think about that either. It’s just kind of like, the way I do it
HM: You’re a pretty technical skater with lots of hard flip tricks and you can easily demo on a ledge or a mini ramp at any time too, what’s your favourite thing to skate?
Jay: Favourite obstacle?
HM: What’s your favourite thing to skate?
Jay: Favourite thing to skate… I’d say like anything that’s smooooooth, even if it’s just like, flat ground. Anything smooth
HM: What’s the best trick you ever learned?
Jay: Hmmmm. Probably a manual – 360 flip. I don’t know why, but it is
HM: Nice, Kwantlen Park?
Jay: Yeah
HM: AXS Gear has been around for quite a long time but is still pretty underground, tell us how AXS Gear began and what it stands for
Jay: AXS Gear began basically when I started working for the sweatshop. And it was simply about just being an individual, being yourself, not really anything special, it’s just about all existing styles. And that’s what AXS stands for is “All Existing Styles”. It’s basically just for everybody that’s you know, simple and just likes to do their thing. That’s it, plain and simple
HM: Cool. Last winter you opened a Skate Shop in New West called Royalty Skate Shop. What was that about, and what happened to it?
Jay: Royalty was like an “on the fly” thing. I kinda was gonna start some skateboards or something and was like, oh I’ll try this out, you know something that kind of connects everything anyways, and I did it with a friend who had his own business out of there too. I just wanted to try it out and see what it took to try to run a skate shop and after that it was more or less like, there was no support you know. There were people behind it but nothing really holding it together other than the few riders that it was
HM: I heard there were plans to re-open Royalty in Surrey, you think that’s still gonna happen one day?
Jay: Yeah, that’s like my main goal I’d say, just ’cause I love the scene in Surrey. It’s totally underground and nobody cares about it, nobody wants to skate out there, everyone’s kind of turned off about it and I kinda like it ’cause of that. It’s so big too, there’s so much stuff out here to skate, and so many parks
HM: We’ve been friends for a long time, explain when you met me and how we became so close
Jay: Hmmm. How I met you was just from skating. I remember seeing you at Burnaby Park was the first time I seen you and someone told me who you were, and you’d always be at Confed or Leeside. But yeah, Bear Creek and you were just all up in our faces like , Hey who are you guys? And you know this guy, and I was like yeah, this is Stu and Drew and we just like to skate. I think we just met by thriving off seeing each other skate and were always just pumped so we just kind of connected
HM: Cool. What’s the funniest story that you can think of that involves me and you
Jay: Oh man…(smiles)…the funniest…geez, I’d say like, any time we’re going to a spot and trying to like, film some tricks there was always some sort of funny bail or like, something, but I don’t know, that’s a tough one. Because every time we hang out, there’s always something funny and hilarious, so I don’t know about that one
HM: You sure it didn’t involve Colt45??
Jay: Oh yeah, oh yeah. Yeah, that was probably the craziest time I’ve had, probably with you for sure. Just goin’ for it at your house…
HM: (Laughing) Yeah we’ll just leave the story out…
JAY: Yeah (Laughs)
HM: So whenever we go out skating somewhere people always notice you and your style. You’re super solid and have a big bag of tricks. Do you feel like people look up to you as a skateboarder role model?
Jay: Oh hell yeah, like kids for sure. No matter what, I might be quiet or whatever but they’re just pumped. They’re like, Hey you do so many tricks and stuff and I’m just like, yeah that’s what you do, you just practise everything and eventually you’ll just put all the pieces together. Like don’t try and learn it all in one day, just worry about just skating
HM: Yeah, and have fun
Jay: Yeah, exactly
HM: A few weeks ago I had the Re-sheet the Ramp Fundraiser contest at my house and you pulled through and won 1st place, beating out tranny destroyers like Andy Anderson and Eve Feaver. How did that feel?
Jay: Pretty rad, I mean, I’ve never… Well, I’ve skated my fair share of mini-ramps and went to jams, but I don’t know, I think it was just one of those days where you like remember all those sessions and you’re just like, you wanna pull something wild just because all those other times, that’s what happened
HM: Was that like the craziest Mini-Ramp Contest ever or what?
Jay: It was hectic for sure (Laughs), yeah like I’ve probably never witnessed such a hardcore jam on a ramp before, for sure, hands down
HM: Everybody in at once (Laughing)
Jay: (Laughing) Everybody, everybody. You name a person and you know they were puttin’ in about 150%
HM: What was going through your mind when you were trying to Tail Drop off the top rail into the ramp at the end?
Jay: I just always remember seeing Josh Evin doing tail drops and I’d always see him like, not worrying about the drop just knowing where you wanna land and just ride it. No matter what, just stick it and you’ll ride it, and the minute I jumped in I just knew, I got it, I just have to land on it, You’ll roll away, you got it
HM: So you stuck that shit for Josh?
Jay: Yeah man, for sure. ‘Cause he was, basically, you know, somebody throws something out of nowhere, it’s him. You know, he was the guy
HM: Yeah, with bare feet…
Jay: Yeah, in socks, bare feet, yeah, definitely
HM: What was the best Contest you ever won?
Jay: You mean first place, or just winning in general? ‘Cause I would say the first one at Langley Industrial. I had like the most ghettoist shoe setup, ghettoist board and somehow I was like, landing everything.
HM: Well you needed a ghetto board to fuckin’ skate Langley Industrial (Laughs)
Jay: No it was mint back then, it was brand new
HM: What is the best accomplishment in your life?
Jay: Probably being able to do the one thing I love which is livin’ life, having fun, hangin’ with my friends, and skating
HM: What was your favourite company that you were ever sponsored by?
Jay: Oh man, favourite company ever…. I’d have to say Bruise
HM: Name the person you look up to the most in life
Jay: In life? Man…….. I would say like, my Mom…
HM: What’s your favourite thing to do when you’re not skateboarding
Jay: When I’m not skating, creating. Probably creating anything, creating something
HM: If you could pick just one spot to skate for the rest of your life, where would it be
Jay: Hmm. Probably here
HM: White Rock Res?
Jay: Yeah definitely
HM: ‘Cause it’s gonna keep changin’
Jay: Yeah, I’d say this place
HM: Jay, I’d like to thank you for being a guest on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. It’s been a pleasure to hang out with you for so many years and I can’t wait to see where we venture together next. You’re an amazing skateboarder and an awesome friend, and you truly are The King of Style. Jigga Jay everybody…
If you don’t know what BCP stands for then you definitely were not there during the eras of destruction at Surrey’s own Bear Creek Park. Back in the day, even before my time there, some serious tricks used to go down. Back when Clint Proulx used to be skinny and knew how to fly, blasting Benihana’s over the big volcano – everybody would go huge there. People always say that Bear Creek was a bike park, that’s ‘cause they don’t understand how to ride those obstacles properly. Clint Proulx, Chris Bone, Scotty MacIntosh, Ben Wheeler and others all created what that place was about in the ‘90’s. Then came the era when people stopped airing so much and tricks were getting more tech, Jay Mykyte, Stu Benoit, Drew Boyle, Joel Chamberlayne and myself set the standard for the young bucks in the new millenium. And then kids like Scotty Tyson just learned everything. BCP was an amazing park to be a local at, and still today lives on as one of the most unique skate parks I’ve ever skated. So many tricks I can think of that I need to go to Bear Creek to do, because that obstacle doesn’t exist anywhere else. That’s awesome.
Just to reminisce the old days, Jordan Strong and I hit up one of my fav parks so I could toss down some memories…
Welcome to Episode 3 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. We’re hangin’ out all day today with one of the most consistent skaters in the Fraser Region. He was named “King of the Bowls” and “King of Surrey” last year in 2011 at the raw age of 15. His sponsors include Protest Skateboards, Vans Shoes, Kilian Clothing, Monke Hardware and Pd’s Hot Shop. Give it up for Andy Anderson!!
Andy Anderson: How you doin’ Mike?
Hippie Mike: Good, Andy, we’re gonna get right into this, your only 16 years old but how long have you been skateboarding?
Andy Anderson: I’ve been skateboarding for 12 years, so since I was 4
HM: Wow. Can you explain how you first met me and what influence I had on you at that time
Andy: Well, I met you at a Cloverdale Hippie Mike’s Competition. I came in 3rd in Beginner or something, back when you didn’t have Mini. And all I remember is this way too big yellow Substance T-Shirt that I won. I wore it around my house for like 2 weeks, man
HM: So we’re here at the White Rock Bowl/South Surrey Skate Park where you have been training at for the majority of your lifetime, do you think this park has made you the skateboarder that you are today?
Andy: Definitely, because of the various obstacles here. Nothing is actually made for skateboarding, at least that’s how it feels, but I don’t know, White Rock teaches you how to be a Well-rounded Skateboarder – tranny; difficult street
HM: What do you think would be different if you had grown up somewhere else?
Andy: I’d be more based upon one style of skateboarding I think. Also, you’re pretty excluded out here, like it’s the other side of the world for North Van, you know, so I don’t really get to watch that many people unless they’re locals
HM: In the past few years you have consistently placed Top 3 in the majority of competitions that you entered. Is there added pressure in your mind to always win because of that?
Andy: Well that has started recently, but not really, I try to keep that all out. I always fall; I always get extremely hurt whenever I feel slight stress and my mind gets all scrambled. But as long as I’m not worried about winning, I always do good
HM: What was the best contest you ever won?
Andy: King of the Bowls (Big Smiles), Whistler… Ah man, that was awesome. That bowl just like, the park makes the competition because the park is so great, and then they host such a great competition at such a classic bowl. I don’t know…
HM: Well Whistler’s a great bowl though, and Whistler has 3 different parks in reality you can skate so there’s all different kinds of styles
Andy: Yeah!
HM: I referred to you as one of the most consistent skaters in the Lower Mainland/Fraser Region, and it’s true, especially in contest runs. How does it make you feel when you know that everyone else at the contest is sitting there hoping you screw up during your runs so they have a chance to win?
Andy: (Laughs) Uhhh, I’ve never thought of it like that. I just always try to block out everything else
HM: Do you think that they have that thought in their brain or are they actually routing for you to win, again?
Andy: That has legitimately never crossed my mind (Laughs)
HM: Okay, tell the world about the support that your parents have given you and are still giving you in your ventures as a skateboarder
Andy: Oh Man my parents are great. They help me out with everything. They bought me stuff when I needed stuff, you know, that was a big thing, and like I don’t know what to say about them…. Dad drives me out to Victoria every year for like a week and we just go skateboarding. He would take time off, like a fuckin’ week, to go skateboarding. And he doesn’t even skateboard. It was awesome
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Parks
Andy: White Rock, Leeside… Oh man, this 3rd one’s gonna be hard to hit…. I’m gonna say Hastings
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Spots
Andy: Oh man, Cooper’s Park for sure (under the Cambie Street Bridge), uhhhhh, can you count Bear Creek as a Skate Spot?
HM: Sure
Andy: Okay Bear Creek Park! And, ummm, Georgia Banks
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Companies
Andy: Oh like legitimately? Vans, Skull Skates, Protest
HM: Name your 3 favorite people to skate with
Andy: (Deep Breath) I do a lot of skating by myself, but….
HM: Are you one of your favorites to skate with?
Andy: (Laughs) Okay yeah, myself. You (Hippie Mike) always push me to do shit, because like nobody pushes me, there all just like kind of sittin’ back yellin’ “Do it! Do it!” getting me really hurt all the time. So you’re definitely not in the Top 3 (laughs), no you’re up there. I don’t know.. Who else do I skate with, Joe Buffalo
HM: Joe Buffalooooo!! Tell us about your favorite Skateboard Experience ever
Andy: King of Bowls, King of Bowls
HM: Last year in 2011, you won 2 huge titles in this region: “King of Surrey” – for placing in the Top 3 the most times in Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey & “King of the Bowls” – for the same status in the Bowl Series. Right around the same time, you got put on Team Protest, and had a video part in the latest edition of The Protest Profile on the Ear Goggles DVD. What was it like to be 15 years old and have all of this happening at that time?
Andy: Phew, dude. Skateboarding is like my complete life right? So when skateboarding works out it’s just my whole life is working out. It was great. It was the peak so far
HM: In May of this year, 2012, you showed up to the World Round-Up Freestyle Skateboarding Contest hosted by Kevin Harris and asked if you could enter. How come?
Andy: Well, my girlfriend wanted me to go to the Rodeo, and I wasn’t super stoked on it, but I heard there was this skateboarding thing going on so I thought I’d show up and I thought it would be a bunch of guys doing Tre Flips on flat or something, but it ended up being a full-fledged Freestyle Competition
HM: During the Finals, legendary photographer Jim Goodrich came over to where we were sitting and complimented you in front of your parents saying how nice you were, how talented you were, and how you were the one pushing the rest of the group to try harder. How did that make you feel?
Andy: I didn’t know Jim, but really like, how popular is a photographer?? But afterwards I looked at some of his photos and they’re just some of the most classic stuff, like Jay Adams, and like, oh my gosh… so that felt amazing. Jim’s a really nice guy
HM: You ended up placing 5th in the Amateur Category out of about 16 people from around the globe. Did that change your life in any way?
Andy: (Laughing) I didn’t realize that I was that good at Freestyle
HM: (Laughs) So you’ve always practised Freestyle? Are you some sort of “hide in your room” guy at night just doing primo tricks?
Andy: Well I was for like 1 winter. I just got super into like Truck Stands and Primos and stuff, but I always do Manuals and Shovits when I’m skating and that’s a big part of Freestyle, I didn’t realize that
HM: Are you stoked to have a legend like Kevin Harris invite you to perform Freestyle Demos with him?
Andy: Yes, that is amazing. Kevin Harris is an amazing guy, and he’s got me doing some amazing stuff
HM: So far, you have mastered all types of transitional skating like old bowls, new bowls, mini-ramps, barricades and pools, you can lay down tons of ledge and rail tricks wherever and whenever you want to, and you made a name for yourself in the Freestyle World, what the hell can we expect next from Andy Anderson?
Andy: Hopefully some flip tricks
HM: (Laughs) Alright, I want to thank you for being on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. I have known you and taught you skateboarding skills since you were 7 years old.
I saw your potential right away to be an amazing skateboarder and an amazing person, and I’m glad I got to be there to help encourage you all these years. You are one of the nicest kids out there on the skate scene, you keep it humble, not cocky, and you truly are living in your Glory Daze right now, and I think it’s still gonna get better though…
Andy: Glory Daze…
HM: You make me very proud buddy – Andy Anderson everybody…..
So Friday, April the 13th, 2012 was the day the Danny Way and some of the DC team came to Chuck Bailey Skate Park in Surrey, British Columbia. Hosted by myself, Hippie Mike, along with Coastal Riders skate shop, it was going to be an easy event to run, provided that the weather agreed with us, which it totally did. There was about 250 people there, lots of talented skaters, waiting patiently for the group to arrive. Traffic on all routes was a mess, but they showed up around 5pm ready to rip it. Danny had decided earlier that he wasn’t going to be skating, so he just hung out and watched everyone else showing their skills, and would sign whatever autographs that were requested. Danny’s a great guy, super mellow, and always appreciative of his fans. For being someone who has changed the face of skateboarding in so many ways, he’s just stoked to see everyone having a good time together.
Josh Kalis, Matt Miller, Wes Kremer, Sascha Daley, Chad Dickson and Mickey Papa – that was your demo. Tons of tricks got laid down all over the park , but I’d have to say the spotlight was on Wes Kremer. This guy can rip it, and skates everything. He was inventing some very funky lines in and out of the bowl, dropped some tech rail tricks down the 3 block, and annihilated the fireplace channel quarter pipe. Everybody skated really solidly, and I know that the audience had a great time. Thanks for coming out toSurrey.
Saturday night finally arrived, and the Granville Cinema had a phat line outside. They all wanted to see whatDanny Way was about to reveal – Waiting for Lightning. It was an amazing showcase of the life of a man who has changed the world in many ways. It taught the audience about his tough upbringing, and the sorrows that not everyone would have known about him. And it showed the definition of the word “Battle”. My two favorite things about Danny Way have always been – #1. That he takes wild, unthinkable dreams and visions from inside his head and brings them out to reality, something I am all about. All of a sudden one day, you get an idea, and from that point on, you do whatever it takes to make that idea happen. And #2, nothing can stop him… he will not give up. This is a major trait I have always possessed myself. You want it, you go get it. As long as you can walk, or at least stand on your board, then you’re still trying to land it. Danny Wayhas defined the word “Man” on television a few times. Go back to X-Games when he hung up on the mega quarter pipe and flipped into the flat bottom. No one else in their right mind was going to go back to the drop in and take another run, but Danny could walk on his own, so it was inevitable. It was also one of the most insane runs anyone ever did on the mega ramp set up still to the day. Nothing will hold this guy down, and that is what I have always loved about him.
The video was eye opening for many of the younger generation skaters, who weren’t around in the 80’s and early 90’s when Danny was on a mission to be the man, and maybe didn’t know about all the crazy things he had done through those years for the sport of skateboarding. I always watched him. Danny Way, Christian Hosoi and Tony Hawk – the 3 destroyers. They all invented so much for skateboarding. I personally had seen almost all of the footage in the documentary during the eras that they were filmed. I have the entireBones Brigade collection, The Santa Cruz Box Set, Shackle Me Not, The original 4 Plan B videos, and more stuff after that. Danny’s been around for a long time, and I’ve been watching him since I started skateboarding in 1986, which was around the time his face started popping up in the vids. He’s not much older than I am, and I understand how messed up his body must be. He’s been through a lot. The documentary focused mainly on the big jump over the Great Wall of China. The original thought of this jump was breaking many boundaries. Anyone who knows anything about Communism would be nervous about even bringing this idea to the table. But for some strange reason, the Chinese Government allowed it to happen. This was huge!!
What I liked about the video was how there was this massive crew of workers building this gigantic death trap of a ramp, but I don’t think that any one of them actually realized what it was for until Danny showed up. I’m sure that at least half of them shit their pants when they saw a guy start climbing up the stairs holding nothing but a skateboard. Reality must have really sunk in. But I think it sunk in even more when they saw what happened when he didn’t make it…
Once again, Danny Way got a taste of his own reality. When you force dreams to come true, they don’t always end the same way you planned it when you were asleep. This was definitely one of the worst bails in skateboard history, and with only a few days left before the scheduled jump date, Danny had to somehow get over the pain, get over the fact that this was a life or death situation, and prepare himself mentally to go out there and land it. 69 feet, over the Great Wall of China, with a busted ankle. There’s no warm up for this. You climb the stairs, look straight down at your destiny, and drop in.
I loved the part where after he lands it, the media is in his face. And at that point, the adrenaline of a lifetime of historic skateboarding memories that possess this man’s soul took over. He had jumped the Great Wall of China. He had set a world record for the longest jump on a skateboard, and the highest air over a quarter pipe. But he had not satisfied himself enough to go home without climbing back up those stairs and dropping in again for the world’s biggest 360 air. He didn’t do it to show off, he didn’t do it to impress the people, he didn’t do it to be the best, he did it to fulfil his passion, and to turn his dream into reality…
Danny Way lives amongst a rare group of the Best Sports Hero’s of all time. Tony Hawk, Matt Hoffman, Travis Pastrana, Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods; all legends of their own sports, not just for their talents, but for their creativity, and for their ambition to never give up…
A first for Canada – A skateboard/youth park which had a covered area built over a portion of it. This will be a revolutionary guideline for the parks of the future. We create these places for the children and youth of today to go out and be active, but the weather can definitely be a factor. Finally, a place we can go to skateboard, bike, blade or just hang out during the rainy season without having to leave Surrey. And for all those who don’t live in Surrey, it’s just a skytrain ride away.
Located right near Gateway Station beside the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre, this new Youth Park will be busy forever.
The plan was cemented for this park to be constructed in February 2010. Some delays occurred, but construction did begin early 2011 and the Grand Opening date was chosen – May 28th. As time drew closer some people were worried that the park was not going to be ready by this time, but I always had faith in New Line to have it done. I would always just say,”It’ll be ready…”, and it was. The construction fence was taken down on the 27th, and literally within a couple hours, the place was jumping with 50-100 people who all had nothing but positive remarks. My opinion of the park – “The best outdoor skate/youth park in the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley.” With the covered area, it will always be used, but the best part is how unique everything else in the park is. New Line went all out with their design team and created many obstacles that you will not find in any other skate park, including custom formed rocks built right out of the transition of the quarter pipes. There is something for everyone to keep them excited to venture to this facility for years to come.
The Grand Opening day was perfect, a little cloudy but no rain. I would have to say close to 500 people around, 300 being skateboarders, bikers, and rollerbladers. We had plenty of indoor events happening, and 3 different demonstrations – The Surrey BBoys break dancers, Bioulles BMX Demo, and the Kevin Harris Freestyle Skate Demo which wowed the entire crowd. Kevin brought Kai Dunkel, a 22 year old up-and-comer form Germany, and Ryan Brynelson, a 19 year old local from right here in North Delta, both extremely skilled at this rare style of skateboarding. But of course no one can touch the level of expertise the Kevin brings to the surface with 35 years of experience. He blew people’s minds, and taught them history on the microphone all at once. Check out the demo on You Tube.
Big thanks go out to all of our performers from the event. Even more thanks go out to New Line Skateparks Inc. for designing and constructing another amazing facility.
Councillor Mary Martin and Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts both made great speeches in regards to how awesome this park is. And one more amazing fact is that this is one of the first skate parks ever built where there was no real fundraising. Built completely by the City of Surrey, with 1/3 of the money funded by the Federal Government, it is yet another revolutionary step made by the City of Surrey for other cities to follow. Surrey is the City of Parks, and is always creating more and more places to try to get all people outside being active and enjoying their surroundings in positive ways. We are always looking towards the future, and in skateboarding, the City of Surrey is definitely a leader for all other cities to follow in our footsteps. With 8 skateboard/youth parks it is the highest number of parks per capita in Canada. Thanks Dianne!!
There were tons of kids enjoying the new park this day of the Grand Opening, and lots were competing in the “Best Trick Contests” and plenty of prizes were handed out. It’s a great park and I can’t wait to add it to my list of parks for competitions and special events.
Thanks to everyone that was involved in planning, sponsoring and working at this event. And thanks to all who came out.
