Skateboarding
Skateboarding
7 skatepark heavens in India
The number of skateparks in India is on the rise! Here's a bit about 7 of the best, so far.
1. Play Arena Bengaluru, Karnataka
This is India's first and all commercial skatepark. Designed and built by Nick Smith the park was constructed over a period of 16 months from 2009-2010. But since its completion, it’s a breeding ground for skate culture in India. This park hosts a wide array of obstacles including two kidney shaped bowls one with the deep end being 6 ft. and the other a whopping 12 ft. It also has a fun speed run and a really tight vert pocket along with a large rectangular flat banked on three sides. It also features a 2 ft. mini ramp perfect for beginners and learning new tricks. The park also has a compulsory helmet, knee guards and elbow pads policy and charge 300 INR per hour or 1000 INR per month for the usage of the skatepark. The skatepark is roughly 20,000 sq. ft. and it gets pretty crowded on the weekends. It also boasts of a pro shop with a wide array of skate stuff.
Play Arena, Bengaluru
© Holystoked
2. Holystoked Skatepark, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Holystoked Skatepark, Bengaluru
© Holystoked
This park is the love child of Zwire skateboarding E.V of Hannover, Germany and Holystoked the collective from Bengaluru. At the time of creation, it was the country's first-ever free skatepark. It was completely funded by Levi's International and this skatepark was constructed within a record time of twenty one days with build crews from five different countries. This 4,000 sq. ft. flow park with a 6 ft. quarter pipe, a super tight cradle and even a volcano with a royal palm in the center is a must visit skate spot for every Indian skater. This park was opened on 10th March, 2013; and since, has hosted pro skaters such as Ched Childress, Al Partenen, Omar Salazar and Stephan Janowski to mention a few. Currently the park is shut due to legal problems.
3. Free Motion Skatepark, New Delhi
Free Motion
© Free Motion, New Delhi
It is the dream of Steve Weightman synthesized into a park and a pro shop in the capital of India. Free motion since its inception has introduced people of all ages to the fun of skateboarding and has assisted in helping those who want to continue on from there. Based in a basement, this park has an awesome underground feel complete with a graffiti wall and everything. Also, this is the only park in the country to be made entirely out of wood. This park is roughly 3000 sq. ft. and has a series of quarter pipes and flat bar rails. The park usage is free. We recommend to support your local skate shop and buy something from the skate shop.
4. Cirrus, Piquen Chiwar, Goa
Cirrus, Goa
© Holystoked
Cirrus is the house/club/farm/treehouse/community of famed Goan ex-model-turned-vinyl DJ Iggy. This is a D.I.Y park built out of concrete which is perfectly blended into the D.I.Y spirit of Cirrus. What started off as a mini ramp with a barrel bump in 2014 was compounded with two more pockets and an extension on the quarter pipe in 2015. This is a free skate spot with a bunch of local kids shredding every day. It’s still not complete. Iggy wants to extend the already existing 3000 sq. ft. park to 5,000 sq. ft. by 2016. They occasionally have skate jams with music, BBQ and of course skateboarding. This was a totally crowd funded project.
5. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Skate Park, Pune, Maharashtra
Baba Saheb Ambedkar Skate Park, Pune
© Pune SB
This is a mad massive bowl bang in the middle of Pune. It’s 10 km. south from Pune Central and is a government built and maintained skatepark. The park charges roughly 20 INR per day which is quite affordable. The park does not feature a variety of obstacles but instead just a big bowl with a hip and a 12 ft. vert deep end. The bowl features an 'L' angle metal coping at the top which makes it hard to lock on to grinds. All in all this is a great effort and the first of its kind by any government body to build something like this to cater to the youth of this nation.
6. SISP, Kovalam, Kerala
SISP, Kovalam
© SSIP
SISP is a non-profit school operated and run by Paul. The SISP Kovalam Skateclub is located in Kovalam, India and was founded in 2013 as a part of the bigger NGO SISP. With free skateboarding lessons they try to motivate the school drop-outs of the area to participate in the educational program of SISP. The Skatepark is on the front yard of the school and you can't miss it. It is fondly called 'Coconut Castle'. This school also features a unique one of its kind skatepark on the roof! The Coconut castle was a much recent addition made possible by friends from Sweden, Germany and England. Vineeth is a passionate skater from Kovalam who motivates and teaches the kids there. The park is a free skatepark during school hours. This school boasts of a 4500 sq. ft. of skate area including the terrace and the front yard.
7. We The School, Janwar, Madhya Pradesh
We The School, Janwar
© Ulrike Reinhard
This is probably one of the remotest skateparks of the country and comes in at number seven. This massive 15,000 sq. ft. skatepark was an initiative of Skate Aid, Germany and Ulrike Reinhard. This is part of a tribal school in a densely populated tiger reserve and the closest place for accommodation is 40 km. away. This project was made possible by tireless and committed builders/skaters headed by Baumi. Special mention to Arniz, Holystoked and Delhi Electric. This skatepark designed by Yamato Living rams is by far the best design for a skatepark in India. It features skate plaza like stairs with china banks and an 8 ft. vert quarter pipe.
This article is courtesy The Outdoor Journal.
