Carlsbad Art and Culture

The double thud of urethane wheels rolling over a hot sidewalk and the sharp thwack of a wood tail are sounds anyone who has spent time in Carlsbad can recognize. Skateboards have been bombing hills, grinding curbs and flipping gaps in our community for years. New Curb invited everyone from the established professional to the clumsy trend follower. The Bars enticed hoodlums from far and near with knee high ledges and endless line opportunities. The Pit is like the older local who never ages, friends with each generation and always quick to provide a helping hand. XYZ skate shop once caused havoc on mother’s wallets and on kid’s innocence and a trek to Taco Land was only a stinky water canal away.

Skateparks have popped up in Carlsbad in the past, but have had trouble lasting. The first Carlsbad Skatepark opened on March 13th 1976 on the edge of the Carlsbad Raceway. The rolling concrete of the upper mogul area and lower snake run warmed to the touch of soft wheels for only a few years before being filled with water and used as a fishing pond. Mike McGill, inventor of the McTwist, partially resurrected the park a few years later by building wood ramps on the remaining foundation. Despite attempts by local skaters and skate companies to preserve the land, the park eventually gave way to Eastward expansion and was completely demolished in 2005.

The current skatepark, located off Faraday and conveniently snug between the police station and fire department, has also been threatened and will soon be replaced with a police training facility. Kids are frequently seen making the journey from either Calavera Hills residential community or the coastal village community. Both areas are home to many young skateboarders, too young to drive, yet old enough to adventure from their neighborhood. These are the kids that make the journey by foot along the speeding cars of El Camino.

Along with perfect weather, long sandy beaches and the discovery of mineral water, skateboarding has helped put Carlsbad on the map. Tony Hawk, Sean White and many other mainstream skaterboarders call Carlsbad home. The Carlsbad Gap, featured in skate videos, video games and replicated nation wide for skate contests, is one of the most recognized skate obstacles in the world. Skateboarding’s impact on our community is relative, but unlike the parks of the past and present, the thuds and thwacks of skateboarding will never be silenced.

Where should the next skatepark be? Alga Norte? Village?