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Skate Park Provides Chance for A2 to Show Its Hipness

A skate park seems like an odd cause for Ann Arborites to throw their weight behind. The sport appeals to young people, has a reputation for being dangerous and, most importantly, could result in more people using the park, which is generally not considered a desirable outcome. Of course, these young people are the supporters’ kids, not some out-of-town interlopers.

37 Responses to “Skate Park Provides Chance for A2 to Show Its Hipness”


  1. So no ‘interlopers’ would use a skate park?

    posted by Westy on April 4th, 2008 at 12:34 pm

  2. http://www.a2skatepark.org/

    posted by A Different Jon on April 4th, 2008 at 12:53 pm

  3. Probably not. Most of the people who would use a skate park would be below college age.

    posted by Tit for Tat on April 4th, 2008 at 12:54 pm

  4. A Google search for ‘”ann arbor” liniment “prune juice” skateboard’ does turn up results. Just not the ones expected.

    posted by A Different Jon on April 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

  5. “has a reputation for being dangerous”- but has stats that say differently.

    posted by j on April 6th, 2008 at 1:59 am

  6. The idea that the skatepark’s supporters are largely skaters’ parents, or exclusively from Ann Arbor, is just dead wrong. Check out the petition, or better yet, come to one of our meetings, where you’ll find regular, strong representation from crews in Ypsi, Saline, Dexter, Jackson (which already has a skatepark), etc. and skaters ranging from elementary school to 40+. Many of our most regular supporters are are adult skaters over 25, which is what happens when a robust skate scene throughout the 80’s and 90’s grows up (visit http://localchaos.org/ for one documented local history).

    Folks who don’t actually skate might not know that public skateparks are essentially tourist destinations - it’s secret spots that stay “locals only”, while most skaters will drive over an hour to make a weekend of an excellent park. And such facilities aren’t so much hip as standard these days, when plenty of small and large Michigan towns like Mason, Niles, Charlotte, Lansing, Bay City, Huntington Woods, Westland, Farmington Hills, etc., and nearly every major American city all have them (we can only hope to be as hip as Oregon one day - http://www.skateoregon.com/ :-)

    posted by dugsong on April 7th, 2008 at 12:40 am

  7. a skate park would be RADICAL. it is good to see momentum building…

    posted by nyambani yangu on April 7th, 2008 at 10:35 am

  8. Anyone who is against the idea of an Ann Arbor skatepark is part of the problem and not part of the solution.

    posted by John Thompson on April 7th, 2008 at 10:53 am

  9. “It only takes five seconds, five seconds of decision, to decide if…”

    posted by a2oldie on April 7th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

  10. Why, I support the skatepark and I am neither a parent nor a skater. No one asked me to sign a petition, though. :(

    posted by Monica on April 7th, 2008 at 3:08 pm

  11. Another dumbass idea by Ann Arbor parents who think nothing’s too good for my little dumbass kid. Just like the dumbass new high school we didn’t need and wasted money on - just because the A2 parent cabal has nothing better to do but waste OUR money on THEIR kids! Even calling it a “park” is dumb if they plan on building it in the existing Vet’s Park. It will only serve to destroy the very nice and pleasant existing Vet’s Park atmosphere. If you must, why not build the dumbass thing someplace that wont destroy an existing park?

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 7th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

  12. “You must choose, brothers, you must choose…”

    posted by Chaka on April 7th, 2008 at 10:26 pm

  13. man of all seasons….get over your bi polar self…..ann arbor will be the last city to have a park….it is a physical activity rather than a video game situation……I was a skateboarder in 1960 and my two sons aged 30 and 35 now were also skateboarders in grade school and high school….I remember the uptight Birmingham, Mi. cops and city officials flipping over the skateboarders rights to the sidewalks……not a word was mentioned about the crazy inline skaters on the sidewalks……please let it go…..it is a sport just like bike riding or whatever…..this is how I feel…..a 60 year old mom and grandmother……….

    posted by CBS on April 7th, 2008 at 11:46 pm

  14. Man of all seasons -

    Your complaints about a conspiracy of Ann Arbor parents set out to destroy what’s essentially dead park space (see the proposed location on our website) and about public funds that aren’t actually being allocated for such a project are well-taken, but I might humbly suggest that you’ve jumped to some wrong conclusions.

    We are prepared to fundraise this entirely from corporate and individual donors and foundation grants if need be, although we’re pretty sure the city wouldn’t ask tennis or basketball players to build their own courts, or ask soccer players to raise $1M+ for the soccer complex in the PROS and Capital Improvements plans, or golfers to recoup the $5.8M projected losses through 2013 from the city’s golf courses in their reported “Death Spiral”, etc. Our strategic plan also calls for an endowment to be granted to the city to help with park improvements and maintenance, with a separate fund for design and construction. The city has not committed any money to a capital program for this project - although we think it’s only reasonable to consider.

    If you’re just hating on parents, kids, and skaters, well, I’m guess I’m glad to know misanthropy is alive and well in Ann Arbor - I was beginning to think this was all one big hippie love fest. I think there are some puppies to kick over at the dog park, too. ;-)

    posted by dugsong on April 8th, 2008 at 8:41 am

  15. puppies?!? lemme at ‘em! mongrel kickfest!

    posted by peter honeyman on April 8th, 2008 at 9:08 am

  16. Sorry Sweathearts, your dumbass argument wont float. No need to get angry and shout names just because NOBODY but you wants this stupidass thing in A2. What is essentially “dead” park space? Now THAT comment is just TOO over-the-top stupid to ignor! Dead park space huh? The reason you need to get outside funding is because we the people will not fund it. Nor will we allow you to ruin our park with an eyesore. If every other city already has a park… Great! GO THERE!

    Yes that’s right, I disagree with you and your selfish ways so I obviously must be a misanthrope. If you really want a skateboard park and have corporate backers why not buy land and build your park? Why infringe your shit on the rest of us?

    Sorry to tell you, but your dumbass skateboard park will not happen in Ann Arbor so you better start thinking of an alternative now.

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 10:19 am

  17. wow, the man of all seasons is stuck in the dead of winter.

    pull it together.

    have you been to the section of park in question?

    posted by nyambani yangu on April 8th, 2008 at 10:50 am

  18. Oh you mean THAT dead area?! The one currently full of big beautiful healthy trees? That’s what you call dead? Interesting. “Tree Town cuts down trees to make room for McDonalds Skate Board Park”. Of course the city council will love the sound of that one!

    If you people want a skateboard park so badly and have corporate sponsors then why are you bothering the rest of us? Go buy land and build a park! Leave Vet’s Park alone!

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 11:32 am

  19. Hey “Man Of All Seasons”, SCREW YOU! How does that sound? I’m a mid-30 something, home owning, 40 hour a week working, Ann Arbor tax paying skater, and I WANT A SKATE PARK! I also want to take my skate board and bust it over your pig head! I live very near vets park and would love to see some of that huge space being used by a sport other then the ones you deem worthy of my tax dollars. For the record, I HATE GOLF! FU*K GOLF! 5.8 million on golf?!?! For real? THAT IS INSANE. That is criminal. Why aren’t you bitching about that? Why aren’t we all bitching more about that? When my $3500 summer tax bill comes due in July, I’ll be cursing every god damn A2 golfing fucktard straight to hell.
    It’s people like you MOAS, that make Ann Arbor and the world a shitty place to live in sometimes. I hope you get face cancer and die a horrible death, soon. For real.
    Oh and for the record, I support the A2 skate park, but I don’t speak for them. I’m just one angry citizen who thinks Ann Arbor has become a breading ground for the honkey death culture. Remember folks, in Ann Arbor skateboarding is still a crime. Young people are supposed to play respectable sports like baseball and football or golf (puke).

    posted by MOAS is a douch bag. on April 8th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

  20. please don’t feed the trolls

    posted by peter honeyman on April 8th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

  21. wow, i didnt realize you groovy skateboarders were such an angry mob. why all the hostility? And you wonder why nobody wants you around them? So what if you dont like golf? Your point is…? We should build another mismanaged piece-of-shit to compensate for the mismanaged piece-of-shit that we already have? And on top of that we should build it on a current very nice piece of property? Are you f*cking stupid or what? No wonder why youre so a.n.g.r.y. about everything. Youre a dumbass, and dumbasses are always angry. Sorry, just don’t blame me for pointing the truth out to you. Your skateboard park may or may not be a great idea. I don’t know and I don’t care. But why don’t you at least have a sensible plan that won’t ruin something nice that we already have?

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 12:34 pm

  22. Hostility? From where?

    posted by nifida on April 8th, 2008 at 12:59 pm

  23. Why not allow softball, golf, and skateboarding in Liberty Plaza?

    posted by A Different Jon on April 8th, 2008 at 1:30 pm

  24. MOAS, people like you already ruined Ann Arbor a long time ago and no amount of green space and tree covered empty park space is going to change it. I grew up here and let me tell you, it’s gone way down hill even since I was a kid. Less cool mom and pop type places, less tolerance for local artists that aren’t sanctioned by the DDA, more assholes like you. I bet your one of those turds that goes around tearing down flyers too.
    Here is all I’m saying, if the city is going to provide recreational facilities for almost every other sport known to man, and outlaw skate boarding on city streets and sidewalks, while doing nothing to stop in-line skaters or bicycles, then I’m calling bullshit on the whole thing and I’m calling bullshit on you. Why am I hostel? Because I for one am sick to death of people like you determining the quality of life in A2. You say you don’t know if it a good or bad idea to have a skate park and you don’t really care? Then please, shut the fuck up and get the fuck out of the way for people who do care.
    PS, five baseball diamonds in Vets park alone but not one skate park in Washtenaw county.

    posted by MOAS is a douch bag. on April 8th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

  25. that’s too funny. youre such a poor little baby arent you? *grin* but please don’t cry. your skateboard park will never be built but not because there’s already 5 baseball diamonds - but because youre a dumbfuck! boohoo!! and if you dont like Ann Arbor, or the people who live here, why are you still here? last I checked we still lived in a free country. You can move. In fact.. please move! How much money do you need to get the fuck out of here?I’ll start a non-profit to raise money to get you out of here since you hate it so much. So come on dumbass…. tell us why you live here. I dare you.

    Again, you’re right, i dont care about building a stupid ass skateboard park in Ann Arbor. what i do care about is you morons thinking you can fuck up a perfectly nice tree-filled grassy city park with your bullshit. What don’t you understand about that you angry angry person!? and try not cry about it.

    LMFAO

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 3:25 pm

  26. Don’t you have anything better to bitch about?
    Isn’t Mattlock on somewhere?

    posted by MOAS is a douch bag. on April 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm

  27. FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

  28. FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

  29. FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES FUCK YOU ASSHOLES

    posted by Man of all Seasons on April 8th, 2008 at 3:51 pm

  30. Whoa. Now this has gone too far. Leave Matlock out of it!

    posted by P-nut on April 8th, 2008 at 4:00 pm

  31. I can see this has continued to be a mature discussion…

    posted by nyambani yangu on April 9th, 2008 at 8:21 am

  32. There’s an art to recognizing trolls and not responding to them. :)

    posted by Matthew on April 9th, 2008 at 8:40 am

  33. I can’t help but notice that each begins awkwardly with two unorganized lines. By the third the rhythm has been found and is maintained for 7 lines, and then 17, and then spectacularly 27 in the last. And once that climax has been attained, the last line limply returns to the opening pattern. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

    posted by anonymous on April 9th, 2008 at 3:44 pm

  34. Settle down, people.

    posted by juliem on April 10th, 2008 at 2:29 pm

  35. It wasn’t a very good troll to begin with, and then he completely lost it right there at the end. No points awarded to either side.

    posted by oh man on April 27th, 2008 at 11:14 pm

  36. “Probably not. Most of the people who would use a skate park would be below college age.”

    Was this sarcasm? I’m 32 and just had a conversation with another 30-something last weekend about how rad this would be.

    posted by Adam on May 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

  37. Ann arbor needs a skate park.. keep these away from the diag and give them there own place to hang out. I grew up in ann arbor and remember we use to skate in the parking structures

    posted by Anonymous on May 16th, 2008 at 10:49 am

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