By Maria Paula Gonzales
Skaters, bladers, and wheel enthusiasts of all kinds, get ready to drop in. The City of Pompano Beach finally opened its first ever skate park after almost 15 years in production.
New Line Skateparks — a skatepark design and construction firm — designed and constructed the facility whilst taking input from the local skating community. The end result is a clear display of that effort.
Spanning over 20,000 square feet, this park features two competition style bowls, ramps, ledges, and an entire “street style” plaza with stair sets and rails. The park is a regional milestone; South Florida is a bit of a “dry zone” for the skate community.
Breakdown of the park
1 Kidney Bowl
The first in the community with real pool coping and tiling.
1 Complex Bowl
Made with real coping and tiling.
Custom Pompano Fish Gap
A metal fish sculpture resembling the fish in the city’s signage. Skaters can use the ramp and clear the obstacle or even grind their board on it.
Stair Set Ups
Sets of 10, seven, and five.
26-ft Down-Flat-Down Rail
Mini Ramp
Park Rules
The skateboarding community aren’t the only ones to enjoy the newly opened park. Bike and scooter riders, as well as the inline skaters of all skill levels now will have their own space too.
A few rules and regulations to review before you are ready to ride:
Break out the helmets, wrist guards, and knee pads! The park is unsupervised, therefore the city is not responsible for any injuries. As a skateboarder, bike rider, or scooter rider, you assume inherent risks associated within the designated state park location.
It’s also important to note that children 10 and under must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
Catering to all skill levels and ages is crucial to the park and the community. It’s what allows the seven-year-old to try balancing on the scooter next to the intermediate skater practicing an ‘Ollie’ until perfection.
Let’s be clear: protective gear is imperative. Nothing ruins the fun like a trip to the E.R. Closed-toe shoes and shirts are required for safety hazard reasons, and strapped helmets have to be worn at all times when on the surface. Elbow and knee pads are strongly recommended, wrist guards too!
We went to go check out the park shortly after it opened, investigating how Pompano Beach residents were responding to the new recreational hang out spot and perhaps to scout Ryan Sheckler successors.
There was a decent crowd with a trail mix of skateboarders, bikers, and scooters.
For parents: There is a great variety of obstacles for each skill level, so kids can feel comfortable bringing whatever it is they like to ride.
Ribbon Cutting
The City of Pompano Beach held a ribbon cutting and grand opening for the park on July 22, where crowds came together to watch the kids skate, do tricks, and have a great time either learning a new hobby or practicing one that was already a part of their day to day lives. There were also vendors with food, tents selling graphic tees, skateboards, and guides to explain how a skatepark works.
It was clear the community advocated relentlessly for this project, and are thrilled they get to enjoy another win for the South Florida community.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 15 years since we started this journey,” Recreation Administrator Mark Beaudreau said at the ceremony. “It seemed like this project was always in jeopardy. It was full of setbacks, roadblocks, and obstacles. There were funding issues, support issues, advisory board issues, GO Bond issues, location issues, liability issues, design issues, and a host of other issues. It felt like every step forward, there was another issue, and it took us three steps backward. But today, we celebrate. Today, we are the envy of Broward County.”
The hours of operation are Monday through Sunday from 8am to 10pm.
1701 N.E. 8th St., Pompano Beach
Photo: Logan Gunther
