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Tony Hawk Brings Wayfinding Skate Park To Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - Tony Hawk will make his mark on downtown Detroit with a new skateboard park opening next month near Campus Martius.

Hawk is a partner in the Wayfinding Skateboard Park that will be set up at the corner of Monroe and Farmer on August 16. This is a temporary skateboard park that will move to a different location once work begins in January for the Monroe Block Development.

Hawk says he is looking at the possibility of a permanent skate park for the city.

Map
This map shows the skate park's location (credit: Rock Ventures)

The 4,600 sq. ft. temporary public skate park is partly designed by Hawk, one of the most influential skateboarders, and built by George Leichtweis from Modern Skate and Surf, a huge player on the Detroit skate scene since the 1970s.

The park, which was designed to maximize fun as well as function, will include six skate-able elements inspired by Detroit as well as a viewing area for spectators. The project is produced by Library Street Collective with assistance from Cranbrook Art Museum.

"It's exciting to see the skate scene continue to thrive in Detroit, and it is an honor to help with this project," Hawk said in a statement. "I think we made good use of the space thanks to Ryan, Bedrock and Quicken Loans, and planted the seeds for bigger, more permanent parks around Detroit in the near future."

Wayfinding will open to the public on Wednesday, August 16. The park is scheduled to remain open until Monroe Blocks construction begins, currently slated to break ground in January 2018. Wayfinding's functional and mobile design will allow it to move to another location in the city following the Monroe Block groundbreaking.

 

 

The designers say downtown Detroit's thriving art scene and dynamic urban landscape make it an ideal location for a community skate park. The project was originally proposed by Library Street Collective, a local gallery that partners with Bedrock to infuse art into their many buildings and the public spaces surrounding them.

"The Wayfinding skate park truly captures the creative and collaborative spirit of Detroit – we've brought together a unique team of artists, professional athletes, architects, and programming experts to bring this project to life," said Anthony Curis, with the Library Street Collective.

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