Referring back to my first post, I said I was going to post the full video Labour of Love. This video was filmed over the course of two years and showcases my close group of friends skating in the streets of Detroit and Toronto. After working on this project, my hope is to continue skating and filming and to being involved with another video. This time searching even deeper into the city to find new spots and new ways of exploring the city. As skateboarding evolves and you get older, its not about doing the biggest or best tricks but finding the most unique spot. Working to make something unskateable, skateable. Searching whether by car, board, bike, or on foot, to find that new spot. Lastly, and most importantly to have fun.
Also as more and more people are attracted to Detroit to skate, more opportunities for businesses will open up. Chiips a skateshop from Plymouth will be relocating to Hamtramck this August. They had a huge event this past weekend called Goodwood to raise money for the Ride it Park Sculputure. Many boards were donated and auctioned off, some by local Detroit Artist and some done by famous artist and skateboarders from across the Globe. Lance Mountain from Bones Brigade even donated a board. Check the link below to learn more.
The one section in Labour of Love that truly inspires me the most is my friend Justin Bohl. He is a school teacher and has some unfortunate luck with injuries. He has knee problems, I was with him in Madison, Wisconsin when he broke his foot, and he has recently healing from a cut hand. His dedication to skateboarding is unreal. Where the average person would have given up years ago, Justin is still going strong. Even with all these injuries he still managed to film the best part in the video. So check out the link below and enjoy Labour of Love. (Sorry you cant embed vimeo videos on blogger, Google owned they must want you to use YouTube.)
One of my favorite skateboarders of all time has recently came to Detroit. Pontus Alv a Swedish professional skateboarder made his way with the 5Boro/Carhartt teams to skate and showcase spots in Detroit. Pontus Alv is a breath of fresh air in today's glamourous action sports world. He is not only talented but represents originality in skateboarding. His unique trick selection, blue collar work ethic, and one of kind style is really amazing. He also shoots and directs his own skateboard films, a true entrepreneur. His film In Search of Miraculous was voted the best skate documentary in 2011. One of his most inspiring sections in the film is how he showcases a DIY spot he and his crew built on the side of a railroad station. Seeing that you can build your spot with only few buckets of cement shows that anyone can turn empty space into something truly worthwhile.
Backside Tailslide DIY Spot
Check out the 5Boro and Carhartt Crew in New York to Detroit.
Truly is awesome to see someone creating their own path, and doing what they love. For more inspirational footage check out the Push Trailer below, a video about skateboarding in Modern Architecture.
Currently two free outdoor skateparks are on the drawing board for Detroit. One in Hamtramck Ride It Sculpture and one in Roosevelt park Roosevelt Park. So for now you have to venture out of the city to find any type skatepark designated strictly for skateboarders to use. Often times these places are crowded and with a lack of money from local governments and can be poorly designed and unmaintained. However, in Detroit we make due with what we got and here are the top 6 skateparks that I like to skate in Metro Detroit. These are in my opinion the better ones in the area.
#1. Riley Skatepark. Founder's Sports Park, 35500 Eight Mile Road. Located in Farmington Hills and built two years ago, Riley is the largest all cement skatepark in Michigan. At 29,000 square feet there is no shortage of space or obstacles to skate. George Riley got the ball rolling with a $500,000 donation which covered about half of the cost to build the park. Obviously, from the amount of money spent, this is one of the better outdoor parks in the area. This park has everything from bowls with pool coping to manual pads, hips, and ledges. The only thing this park needs is lights for some late night sessions. Sometimes it does get a little crowded after kids get out of school or on weekends. So go early and stay late.
#2. Auburn Hills Skatepark. Squirrel Road and M-59. This is a really small outdoor skatepark located right by Oakland Community College. Very small but a fun little park to cruise around at. All the ramps are built by Woodward and the ground is smooth. There is even a little stream you can go fishing in, if your up for it. Usually never crowded, but can get very hot in the summer with limited shade.
#3. Huntington Woods Skatepark. 11 Mile Road and Coolidge. This is another free outdoor park that is made entirely out of cement. There is a four foot mini that feeds into a six foot bowl in the shape of a snowman. Surrounding the park is a circular street course that is really fun to cruise through. Very smooth, but because of its limited space can become crowded very quickly. Also the city does not open the park before April 1st. Do not go over the fence if it is locked, you will be ticketed (I have gotten one).
#4. West Bloomfield. 14 Mile Road and Drake Road. This park is located way out there in West Bloomfield. Another free out door park with smooth ground with wooden/plastic ramps brought in. Variety of small street obstacles from flat bars, benches, hips, quarters, and even a pole jam. The best thing at this park is the spine/mini ramp. This three foot mini totally takes the cake and will keep you shredding for hours. If I could build one of these in my backyard I totally would.
#5. Birmingham Skatepark. 2300 East Lincoln Between 14 and 15 Mile Road. This is one park I used to frequent quite often but haven't been skating lately. The park itself is laid out really well and is similar to the West Bloomfield skatepark in size, layout, and ramp construction. With a five foot mini ramp and no shortage of street obstacles this park is definitely worth it. Management is great too. The park is well policed and the Ice rink next door will open the park up as long as there is no snow or ice in the park. With this mild winter we just had the park was open almost every single day from Fall right through till spring.
#6. Kennedy Park. On Schroeder between Nine mile and Ten mile in Eastpointe. This is new park built by the city of Eastpointe via a Federal grant to the City of Eastpointe. With a estimated cost of around $220,000 the money was well spent. The park has metal ramps built by American Ramp Company ARC. They have a marble ledge and a cement jersey barrier. Two things no other parks in the Detroit area have. The park is very popular with local neighborhood kids, so the best sessions are in the morning. Also, checkout Pigeon Skateshop 5 blocks away, owned by a good friend of mine.
Skating and eating go hand and hand. I am always trying to grab some good quick food on the go, during or after a long day of skating. A good filling meal that can be gotten to go, and can be eaten quickly anywhere is just what you need. Quick and friendly service is also a must. Skating from spot to spot, for a 5 course meal just won't cut it. So go grab your board, some friends, and a few bucks and your sure to have a good day. Here are my top 5 picks for grabbing some food when you are pressed for time and money.
#1. Avalon 422 West Willis Street. This is a great place for breakfast or lunch. Start the day off right with some coffee and one of their delicious bakery items. My personal favorite is the Date bar with real fruit, whole grain, and granola. They also have a large selection of sandwiches, breads, and pantry items. Quick, fast, and healthy. Just be wary of parking in the bakery parking lot, it is always full. So park a block away or better yet, travel by board.
#2. Astro Coffee 2124 Michigan Ave. Located right in Corktown, Astro Coffee is a small new coffee shop that offers the best Coffee I have ever had. I have only been here 2 or 3 times but each time the coffee was KILLER. For a nice morning boost or a pick me up during the day, a cup from Astros is the bomb. It is located on Michigan Ave right next to Slows BBQ. Astro takes the crown for best coffee. Death over Decaf.
#3. Supino Pizzeria 2457 Russel Street. Supinos pizza located in Eastern Market is by far the place I frequent the most. This small pizza joint offers a thin New York Style slice loaded with toppings and a thick crust. My personal favorite is a slice of pepperoni and Lemon Pellegrino. Comes in nice to go slice box and hits the spot. $2.75 for a huge slice of pizza is essential.
#4. Slows-to-go 4107 Cass Avenue. Slows BBQ has become infamous in Detroit for having some of the best food around. To avoid the long waits at the Restaurant on Michigan Ave, hit Slows-to-go in Midtown for the same food and much shorter wait times. Plus all sandwiches come wrapped in a huge piece of waxed paper to keep all the sandwich in your stomach and off the ground. Pretty much anything on the menu is good. Even if you're a vegetarian you can still try the mac-n-cheese or some of the other vegetarian options on the menu.
#5. El Paisa Taqueria Truck Vernor Hwy. This is may be my new number one spot for cheap food that is really good. The menu is pretty small, consisting only of burritos, quesadillas, or tacos, with chicken or steak. What the menu lacks in quantity, is definitely surpassed by the quality and the price. For five bucks you can make a meal, with $1.25 tacos loaded with meat, cheese, onions, and cilantro. Don't forget to top it all off with bottle of mexican coke, (in a glass bottle).
All of these restaurants are independently owned too. Now that your stomach is full of the finest food Detroit has to offer, Go Skate!!!!
The midwest is often overlooked by the skateboard industry. This summer that is about to change as Emerica has just announced it will hold its Wild in the Streets event in Downtown Detroit on June 21st also known as National Go Skateboarding Day. The event will help kick off the building of the Ride It Sculpture Skate Park, to be built alongside the East Davison Freeway in an abandon lot.
The event should bring a lot of attention and awareness to the city of Detroit, through skateboarding. The major focus of the event will be to help raise money and awareness for the Ride It Sculpture Park. The more awareness that is built around the event, the more people will be able to help, and more money can be donated for a good cause. Please donate to the park through crowdrise.com. I have donated a small amount of money, but more importantly I hope to get involved and donate my time and energy to make the park a great, safe, and hassle free place to skate. Learn more through Tony Miorana and his work with other parks in his video about the Ride It Sculpture Park.
What is your passion? What do you love to do? Skateboarding is the ultimate freedom. No rules, no coaches, no time limit, no winners, nor losers. You are free to travel your own path. Skating allows you to momentarily lose yourself and feel truly free in a society struggling with war, financial meltdowns, and global climate change. How can something as simple as a skateboard make these huge problems seem so obsolete? I think it is the connection of a similar interest, that surpasses all language, cultural, and geographic barriers. Skateboarding has no boundaries, no limitations, and no prerequisites. It gives back to you, only as much effort as you put into it. The more time and energy you put into skateboarding the more it gives back to you. This is a awesome video about a skater from Brazil, who not only skates without the use of his legs, but does so professionally.
Props to Og de Souza, not only does he skate better than most, he looks like he is enjoying his life more than most people too. This is truly inspirational, getting out and making the best with what you have. Skating in Detroit is similar to Og de Souza's situation. We may not have the smoothest streets or the nicest weather but we make due with what we got and we enjoy it. Now get outside and go skate.
When most people think of skateboarding I would imagine they think of something juvenile delinquents do, Tony Hawk video games, or that horrible MTV television show Scarred. In reality this could be the furthest representation of the truth. Skateboarding is a brotherhood, passion, and I even read some where that more kids take on skateboarding then play little league baseball (this may not be true) but it is becoming extremely popular. Within a 50 mile radius of Detroit I can name about fifteen free outdoor skateparks, and currently know of one currently being drafted for the city of the Detroit, that will be built in Roosevelt Park on Michigan Ave in the near future. Here is a link to the article Roosevelt Park Revival It is hard to really define what skateboarding really is, but I can tell you what it is not. It is not the X Games, nor MTV, or some Olympic sport. It is a more of a lifestyle or art form than anything else. Similar to how a painter expresses his thoughts on a canvas, a skateboarder can express themselves by using their natural surroundings as a canvas. Here is a trailer to a video project I was involved with for two years with some great friends of mine. (Full video will be posted soon).
Labour of Love Trailer
Love skateboards is small independently run skateboard company from Toronto. I have been lucky to meet some of my closest friends by being involved with this video project. This video showcases the skating of myself, Joel Watamaniuk, Isaac Watamaniuk, Justin Bohl, Ben Locke, Drew Williams, Rob Mentov, and Ryan Kehrer on the streets of Toronto, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. The entire video was edited and filmed by a close friend of mine Jim Tumey.
Ultimately skateboarding is something I will be involved with forever. Even though I made this blog initially for a school project, I hope to continue to use it in the future to keep skateboarding moving in a positive direction. Skateboarding and social media go hand in hand. Nobody likes to skate alone, so why not share that experience with others. After all its much more fun to skate with your friends than by yourself.
