CULTURE

UPDATE: It Looks Like the Brooklyn Banks May NOT Be Done

Published

2 years ago

January 11, 2021

Skate Newswire

2020 continues to get worse with the news that the Brooklyn Banks may be in jeopardy. After being closed for roughly five years for remodeling; images were shared yesterday via Instagram that show the bricks have been taken out of New York’s most iconic skate spot. The large banks were supposed to remain a public skatepark after the small banks were demolished in 2004. But the future is now looking uncertain. Have a look 5Boro’s Steve Rodriguez’s post about the situation below.

UPDATE 01.11.21: In an incredible twist of fate, there is a new proposal on the New York City Council’s budget site to reopen the Small Banks. Leave a comment over there to show support, and let’s see what happens!

My project idea is: Reopen the Basketball Courts and Small Banks under the Brooklyn Bridge

So that people could: have a park for relaxation and basketball in a neighborhood that desperately needs both. Directly across the street at Murry Bergtraum are thousands of high schoolers who do not have accessible outdoor space to play sports or have lunch. DOT has fenced off the area but is not actively using the spaces – the areas have been closed for a decade. The Small Banks are a historic skating spot and would provide space for active and passive recreation. This neighborhood has so little public park space, and it would mean so much to our community to get some little piece of it back.

UPDATE 11.19.20: There’s some goods news in this morning’s headline update. Community Board 1 has unanimously decided to push DOT to restore the Banks to the community. While this is only a first step, it’s a step in the right direction.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHwEpDnlZSY/

UPDATE 11.17.20: The fate of the Banks is on the agenda for today’s Community Board 1 meeting. Sign in on webex at 6pm EST, and make you voice heard. The below post from Steve R. provides all of the pertinent details.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqXHcxFqiQ/

UPDATE 06.22.20: Jenkem dropped a video today that gives a visual update on where things stand currently at the Banks. It’s not looking too good. For the record, if you’re not including Maurice Key‘s switch frontside heel over the wall from Trilogy in your list of best tricks to go down there, we have to question if you really know your shit. Just sayin’.

UPDATE 05.10.20: Yesterday, an online petition was created to save the Banks. It’s already reached over 8,000 signatures and counting in just 24 hours. This grassroots campaign has the potential to get the city to preserve this important piece of skateboarding’s history. You should sign if you haven’t already.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_1KobblUUx/

Image Via Wikipedia

CULTURE

Super Skate Posse Gives Back to Kids in LA

Published

2 weeks ago

January 4, 2023

Skate Newswire

Super Skate Posse teamed up with Punk Rock & Paintbrushes and gave away Powell Peralta skateboards, Converse Cons shoes, and ProTec helmets to 25 children from Alexandria House, a transitional home for women and children in Los Angeles, California.

Skateboarding legend Christian Hosoi graced the event and taught the kids to skate.

Founded in 2020, Super Skate Posse is a nonprofit that aims to remove the cost barrier to skateboarding for children in underserved communities nationwide.

The organization tours nationwide and partners with local communities to give away skateboards and gear to kids at events hosted by pro skaters.

The partner in this event, Punk Rock & Paintbrushes is an art management company and art show production brand.

CULTURE

Eric Koston and Steve Berra Take Back Control of The Berrics

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2023

Skate Newswire

The Berrics founders Eric Koston and Steve Berra are now 100% back in control of their company.

Established in 2007, The Berrics was a portmanteau of the founders’ names — Berra and Eric.

Back in 2018, Hypebeast acquired the majority stake in The Berrics. Hypebeast is a Hongkong listed company founded by Kevin Ma in 2005. It started out as a sneaker blog and became an online magazine covering fashion, culture, and other topics and also ventured into retail among other businesses.

But after five years, it appears that the partnership didn’t go that well. In their statement, Berra and Koston said they had little control over their company.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s been almost 5 years since we’ve effectively had any influence over what we created, how it was run, what we made and what it stood for. Five years forced to the sidelines, largely silent, being told what we can and cannot do… or else suffer the consequences. Suffice to say, it was painful watching and experiencing some of the things that transpired.

The two also mentioned that The Berrics website, social, content, and e-commerce will all undergo changes. They also thanked everyone who supported the company through the years.

CULTURE

First Annual Abloh Skateboarding Invitational Held in Miami

Published

4 weeks ago

December 17, 2022

Skate Newswire

The first Abloh Skateboarding Invitational was held in Miami’s Lot 11 Skate Park last December 4 in honor of Virgil Abloh.

Abloh was a skater turned architect and fashion designer. He was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection and also collaborated with Nike.

The event was organized by Architecture, Abloh’s Nike-housed creative studio. It featured cash for trick contest, food trucks, live DJ, and a professional skateboarder demonstration from the dozens of professional skateboarders in attendance.

Zion Wright, Ishod Wair, Dashawn Jordan, and Sal Barbier were among the attendees of the said invitational.

Abloh died in November 2021 after his battle with cancer.

Before his death, he was involved in the building of Ghana’s first ever skatepark which opened in December last year. Abloh is of Ghanian descent.