Closing The World’s First DIY Skatepark

Learn more about Burnside:

Shop my skateboard setup below! (I get a small percentage when you purchase)

[thestinkyweasel]

It's incredibly cool that the city is on board with keeping such a legendary spot. It sucks that it will be closed for so long, but at least the community gets to keep it in the end.

[gepettowins]

I feel like it can't be overstated that this level of buy-in from the city doesn't come over night. As someone who grew up skating Burnside, I saw how skaters took care of the space, went to town hall meetings to advocate, and managed the relationship with the city and neighbors... Now, 20 some years later, it still takes a ton of organizing and advocating to try to keep a DIY spot around and they get torn out all the time. People at the city never get it at first (with some exceptions)—they always think it brings crime or the wrong crowd, and skaters have to repeatedly articulate and demonstrate the value, and build the relationship.

Now imagine a DIY making it long enough to become a world-famous ICON. That's why the city is listening to us—we've been talking to them for a long time.

[Drgoldthumb]

Glad they are planning on keeping it. It’s a national monument in my eyes. It should be put on the historic landmark register to protect it forever.

[therealjd]

I’m just glad they understand the importance of keeping that park

[smilinkylen]

I'm from Portland, and seeing those photos of the original concrete ramps was SO cool!!!! Awesome video, thank you for putting this all together.

[chrisprysok]

The fact that these ppl are even taking the park into consideration is amazing.

[shredmajor]

Zack, I'm a 3D artist currently studying DIY skateparks and I am so grateful for all this footage in this video of the Burnside park. Thank you for taking the time to make this and get involved.

[Kxrben]

Im so lucky to live literally a 5 min walk from this unique and legendary skate spot, the city cut a chunk of it off to build a skyscraper next to the bridge, but still got some cool new features over the last few years, so its nice to know that the city wants it to remain as well. Cant wait for the holloween party this year.

[DerekRichardson]

It's a landmark of history for future generations to enjoy.

[GoldStreet]

Great job, Zach. Other than the ridiculous algorithm-driven title, I appreciate your journalism. I’m wrapping up a career doing public policy work at the Federal Government level. I’ve worked with agency folk and electeds in Portland and up and down the West Coast. I guarantee you local poli’s and agency people know about a place like Burnside and its regional significance. You did a great job showing that straight up. They don’t see improving the brdge and preserving the park as mutually exclusive, because there are always good solutions possible.

[P-_-S]

THANK YOU for putting this together. I am not a skater, but I am a fan. I live about half a mile from this bridge and cross it nearly every day during my commute. The bridge definitely needs to get replaced, I get nervous about an earthquake whenever I am stuck on it in traffic, but I had never considered the impact to the skatepark until I saw your video in my feed today. Not going to lie, the headline of this video made my heart skip a beat, but I was pretty blown away to learn how important the preservation of the skatepark has been to the design board during the entire process. Really REALLY awesome that they are committed to it. I do worry a little bit as it's a long government project, the leadership could change hands at some point and the park could get sacrificed to save a few bucks, but given how deeply ingrained the park has been in the design process from the start it does seem like that is less likely to happen. Man... 6 years without a the Burnside bridge is going to be brutal, it's the right call not the waste the resources or increase environmental impact on building a temporary bridge, but that is absolutely going to change the entire flow of the city for over half a decade. I can't even fathom the full impact of that closure, but it isn't going to be pretty.

[Dechral]

used to go sit and watch from above on my breaks when I went to school/work in Portland. They can never get rid of burnside!

[russellzauner]

BROOO thanks for coming up to Oregon!
Do more visits!

[MikeyTrippz]

brent atchley is probably one of my favorite skaters to watch skate this park....180 on the pillar is crazy...he definitely has torn this place to shreds

[llamajuice]

That huge apartment complex that got built next door worked with the skatepark to install lighting to help brighten up the skatepark now that their building blocks a ton of the sunlight that'd get down there. That huge apartment complex exists in the THPS 1+2 remastered version of this park.

I have hope and faith that the city will take care of that park, but I do hope that they're able to keep it open as much as possible. It's an insane spot. And I love the Free Willy mural on the wall, to celebrate the park's inclusion in that film from back in the day.

[princequestly]

It’s really awesome that the city plans on keeping it, I hope everything stays on track for the skaters.

[vZynxy]

thank you dowdy, burnside is the place of places I can only try to state how important this historic place is to us oregonians that skate, burnside is portland, burnside is oregon, it’s skateboarding at its simplest rebellion to normal life

[MarioGodoyMusic]

I skated Burnside for the first time last month. It’s almost impossible to skate well on your first session there. Everything is bigger and more awkward than video footage makes you think. Super fun experience though. Looking forward to going back at some point.

[TheAnimeist]

9:05 That is so cool that you captured that line. The dude certainly put in his work.

[DreamEvilPictures]

Great coverage!!! And great edit, this information is really important for the skate community to know. Yet, there is still so much we don't know, that the city does not know... or have yet to release! Thank you for the shoutout with the Concrete Law film too. Navigating bureaucracy for nearly 8 years to legalize an iconic DIY skatepark was insane, but it also shows that community perseverance and solidarity is the reason we won. We are a global DIY family. We shall not give up that easily.