Joe I, come on down! Nice story, sir!

[skategeezer]

Skate park is closer to reality
By Jackie Majerus, The Bristol Press
11/20/2006



BRISTOL - The design for the skatepark planned at Rockwell Park will be made to resemble the flow of an urban street, with challenges like stairs a part of it, said city parks Superintendent Ed Swicklas.



Swicklas said the skatepark, which will be located on the site of the current basketball court, will not be in the style of an in-ground bowl, but will be an above-ground facility, "cast in place."
Local skateboarders helped the city select the final design, according to Swicklas.
"They're going to enjoy it," said parks Commissioner Tom Ragaini. "Now we have to move on and get it built."
Joe Iacovelli, a network engineer and professional skateboarder from Bristol, said he's glad that skateboarders were able to work with the city and move the project along.
"I'm glad it's finally happening," said Iacovelli. "Imagine having thousands of tennis players and having no tennis courts. Bristol absolutely needs a skateboard park."
Iacovelli, who is 42, said the youth who started the campaign for a skatepark are still around and ready to use it.
"If you're a real skateboarder, it's a lifetime thing," said Iacovelli. "There's just more new kids."
Swicklas said construction on the skatepark won't move ahead until the state approves the renovation money for Rockwell Park.
The park will measure about 100 by 140-feet, said Swicklas. There is already $125,000 set aside to build the skatepark.
Iacovelli said the youth involved in pushing for a skatepark learned something about civics.
"You can petition the city and get what you want," said Iacovelli, as long as people are organized and act professionally.
Swicklas said the basketball court at Rockwell Park will move across the parking lot, closer to Muzzy Field.
Swicklas said the skatepark will be open to skateboarders, inline skaters and bikes.
"It will be fenced in, but it will always be open," said Swicklas.
Safety equipment will be required for all users of the park, said Swicklas.
It will be open to all ages, with all ages and abilities mixed in together, according to Swicklas. He said it will likely be open from dawn to dusk. It won't be lighted, he said.
There won't be anyone supervising the activity at the skatepark, according to Swicklas.
"We're not staffing it," said Swicklas. But he said that the 10 p.m. closure will be enforced.
The skatepark is six or seven years in the making, said Swicklas. The money for it has been waiting for several years, Swicklas said.
The city approved $125,000 for a skate park in December 2002.
"My hope would be that the skaters feel proprietary about it and use it and protect it," said Iacovelli, "and the city sees the positive benefits of it and that this isn't the only skating facility in Bristol."
"This'll probably be the premiere park in the area," said Ragaini, who said the Bristol facility "will be bigger than the one in Wethersfield."

[Momona Boe]

*beaming like a proud papa*


My little Joey, they grow up so fast..............

Okay, so when's the first session at Iacovelli Moonforest* Skatepark?







*anyone?

[JBH]

Originally Posted by Momona Boe

*beaming like a proud papa*


My little Joey, they grow up so fast..............

Okay, so when's the first session at Iacovelli Moonforest* Skatepark?







*anyone?

Only by hearsay and OOOOOOLD SkateBoarder mags, it's...
















Tomoka Moonforest Skatepark in Florida. That place looked pretty damn cool from the few photos I saw. I seem to recall a bunch of old FL skaters saying that was one of their favorites ever, with interlocking moguls/bowls placed in the middle of a bunch of big trees.

[Directive0]

Rad! More reason to come visit you guys again

[Joe & Nick]

Somebody needs to ask Bobby "Bandcamp" Mandarino about Tomoko. I'm pretty sure they had a dedicated slalom hill for him there.

Bad news on the story above, kids are pushing to spend $150K on steps and rails, no one seems to understand my bowl idea. Still I wanted to keep all my comments positive.

[bpz]

Is there going to be any transition to pump around?

[Joe & Nick]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

Is there going to be any transition to pump around?

Let you know when I see the design.