Bridge Construction Shutters Famous Skate Area

Bridge construction in New York City threatens to shut down an infamous and informal skatepark.

1 minute read

May 16, 2010, 1:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg


"[F]or generations of skateboarders, and an increasing number of BMX bikers, the place carries an iconic name and a sacred meaning. It is the Brooklyn Banks. It is the place to go, to be, and to be seen.

'It's the best skate park in the world,' the professional skateboarder Mike Vallely said near the end of a popular YouTube video posted earlier this year to pay homage to the threatened Brooklyn Banks, 'because it wasn't supposed to be a skate park.'"

But an upcoming four-year renovation project at the Brooklyn Bridge will shutter the area, replacing it with a staging zone for construction equipment.

Thursday, May 13, 2010 in The New York Times

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