Last week the Carlsbad City Council updated City code regarding “inline and roller skaters” allowing them to basically roll anywhere they want on the upper sea wall and in the Village. Sadly, the new updates did nothing to correct the City’s insanely draconian rules regarding skateboarding.
Inline and roller skaters are free to cruise the upper seawall in Carlsbad, as long as they use caution, according to updated rules introduced Tuesday to the City Council. The lower seawall will remain a pedestrian only zone, with no wheeled forms of transportation allowed. . . . The rule changes also allow inline and roller skaters in the Village area. Skateboards will continue to be banned from the upper and lower seawall, the walkway on Carlsbad Boulevard between Tamarack Avenue and Cannon Road, the Village area and other commercial zones where signs are posted.
Reading this just reminds us how unworthy the City of Carlsbad is of its deep roots in skateboarding heritage. It’s just plain sad. Follow the jump for the completely uninformed justification for not changing the skateboarding rules along with the Rollerbladers. [click to continue…]
The new website is officially up and ready for business! Check it out and let us know what you think.
Witt’s legendary surf/skate shop, located at the corner of Carlsbad Blvd and Elm Street Carlsbad Village Drive, has played an integral roll in the development of action sports as we know it. If you don’t believe us, just ask Tony Hawk. It’s great to see Witt embracing the digital era. Stop by, or click by the new online store and check it out.
Carlsbadistan based Transworld Skateboarding Magazine just featured the Cherry Street Stairs in a Kenny Hoyle January 2011 cover shot by Seu Trinh.
Here’s what the magazine editors had to say about it.
Multiple visits, sore legs, cries to the heavens, and mental breakdowns were all ingredients in Kenny Hoyle’s massive oceanfront kickflip. But Kenny’s the one who came up with the bright idea of using a crappy waterlogged piece of wood as run-up. Hey, sometimes you’ve gotta pay to play, even if you’re paying in madness.
During Tuesday’s meeting, council members listened to the skateboarding proposal and asked questions, but did not endorse the idea. . . Councilman Mark Packard said he hoped that the group understood it would be several years before the land would be available. Project supporters said they knew this. . . “At first, we went ‘Oh, darn,’ and then we thought it gives us more time to raise the funds,” Young said. . . During her presentation, she had stressed that project supporters expect to fund their center through donations and grants. No city investment is needed, Young emphasized.
It seems the City Council was not all that interested in the project currently but as City Manger Lisa Hidabrand is quoted as saying, “Now’s a good time to plan, and we’ll be happy to work with the community to plan what’s out there.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but we’ll take it.
Since January, the Carlsbad Village Association and a group of downtown business owners have been working on plans for a Skateboarding Museum and Action Arts Center. They say it would offer a much-needed outlet for local skaters and draw tourism to the city. . . “The (term) ‘skate park’ was actually coined in Carlsbad,” said Robin Young, the association’s executive director. “We thought, ‘What a perfect opportunity to pay homage to that rich history.’ ” . . . The association proposes building the center on land occupied by a city maintenance yard at Oak Avenue and State Street that is slated for redevelopment. Organizers envision a skateboarding museum, a skate park and an interactive, urban arts center.
Those in support of skateboarding in general and in Carlsbad specifically are encouraged to attend the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening at 6 PM. For more information click the links below and please vote in our poll in the right hand column of this page.
It has been made famous in skateboarding magazines, videos, and video games, but the Carlsbad High School gap will be gone forever. Thanks to the Carlsbadistan-based Transworld Skateboarding and DC Shoes at least we have this one last April 3, 2010 session to remember it by.
The Coast News gets the straight scoop on the McTwist and Shaun White’s Double McTwist 1260 from the trick’s originator Mike McGill (seen above at the Encinitas YMCA).
“It definitely feels good when somebody like Shaun White gives you props for your trick,” said McGill, who landed the first McTwist at a Swedish summer camp in 1984. “I made the trick and I still couldn’t believe how he was going to do two (spins) because you are going blind twice.”
Nice reminder of where things have come from and where they’re going.
It’s good to see the youth of Carlsbadistan engaged in healthy outdoor activities while making use of public structures. Although, a new skatepark would be nice.
Carlsbadistan vert skater Paul-Luc Ronchetti, 16, got a little well-deserved coverage in the San Diego Union-Tribune yesterday in a story by Glae Thien.
Turning pro this year was a natural step for Ronchetti, given his showing on the Free Flow circuit. With his amateur title last year, he qualified for the last stop on the Dew Tour and placed ninth. . . .“This year, I started off on a low point, and I just kept skating and getting into the competitions, and slowly it got better,” Ronchetti said. “Definitely, each contest gave me more experience each time, and that gave me more confidence.”
Ronchetti finished 13th on the Dew Tour this year.
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Last week the Carlsbad City Council updated City code regarding “inline and roller skaters” allowing them to basically roll anywhere they want on the upper sea wall and in the Village. Sadly, the new updates did nothing to correct the City’s insanely draconian rules regarding skateboarding.
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