Indoor Skate Board Parks

Sluggo skating vert. photo - Byron Brysco
RDS Skate Board Park Is located in Richmond B.C. It's our only indoor with a Vert (14ft ramp) in the lower mainland. They have video premieres, tones of contests , lessons, a pro shop. It's a skateboarders dream. And it is owned and operated by Rob (Sluggo) Boyce, Kevin Harris, and Colin Mckay. Three world famous Canadian skateboarders.

I know what amazing skaters they are because my friend Kathy Krieger and I used to run a indoor skateboard park near Main and Terminal st. called the Clubhouse. We had a vert ramp and Sluggo and Colin used to skate it a lot.

Kathy bought the Vert (12 ft ramp) from Slam City Jam (annual pro contest) one year because we saw how much skateboarding was growing in popularity from year to year. We were both snowboarders and we thought it would be a cheaper way to have fun than snowboarding. Cheaper tickets, cheaper equipment. And I really wanted the opportunity to try skating a Vert ramp. The Clubhouse was a fun place video games, pool table, street course in and outside, mini ramps, shop, parties, contests but I admit we were not business savvy at the time, the Ivanhoe was way too close (too much drinkin') and the city gave us a really hard time about fire safety regulations etc. So we shut er' down. It was a sad day for a lot of people!

So do we need a Skate Park in Vancouver? Duh! Yes we do. It rains way too much here and there are so many skaters in this city. You always hear rumors of someone getting ready to open an indoor park and the plans always seem to fall through. For one thing the film industry occupies almost all of the good, big warehouses and you need high ceilings if your Vert ramp is 14ft then you need at least 10-15 feet of room for the skaters to get air. It's hard to find the proper zoning. And the killer is insurance. No one wants to insure skateboarding so the insurance is really high. Even though when you look statistics skateboarding is no more dangerous than any other sport.

So, will we get a park in Van? I would guess yes, someday we will, l but who knows when. Check out RDS it is not hard to get too.

We cannot forget about Leeside(Lee Matasi's Memorial Skate Park.)
Leeside is located inside a fairly big tunnel which would be free and out of the rain. No one will own it which will make it more if a community space than an indoor park.

Here is a contest to check out. March 25th: Underworld Kids Street Competition with Open Bowl Competition to follow. The open bowl contest is for adults too.

Also Wednesday night they have a Vert session from 10-12pm so get your stick (skate) and check this out. Why pay for Slam City when you can see and skate with some of the best skaters in the world.

And guess what if you didnt already know Slam City Jam is in Calgary this year. Why, I don't know but after 12 years in Vancouver it is a wierd move!

RDS SKATEPARK
Riverport Sports & Entertainment
Unit #150 - 14380 Triangle Road
Richmond, BC V6W 1B1
Tel: (604) 271-PARK(7275)
Email: info@rdsskatepark.com
Tel: (604) 271-4737

It is part of the Riverport Sports & Entertainment Complex, which is at the East end of Steveston HWY. It is easily accessible by car and transit.