The Grand Opening of the Lafayette Skatepark was on December 11,2010 and it was freezing cold! Located 30 minutes northwest of Denver, the crowd was there in full effect to experience this wonderful and engaging facility!
Upon entering the skatepark, the skaters are greeted by a series of skateable stones. “The Quarry”, as its been nicknamed by the locals, are carefully arranged in such way that allows people to uniquely skate throughout its landscape. The gray granite,red granite and even white marble that is narrow and shaped with radius and embankments provides for a one-of-a-kind skate experience. From the quarry to the right, there are the two bowls, a pro bowl that closely resembles the classic Australian bowl, ” Bondi Beach Bowl “, and an intermediate bowl that has all the fun elements a 5′ deep bowl could have such as hips, extensions, escalators, steel, pool and brick coping, ramps connected to the deck area, etc.
From the quarry to the left, the skaters can find a newer and unique section, that could best be explained as a mixture of a snake run and a ditch. Not many areas in skateparks are fun for both the street and transition skaters. To the far left, you will find an outstanding beginner bowl. A perfect element for those little guys! The kiddy bowl also has areas with imbedded skateable rocks that really reach the skater’s senses.
A skatepark is not complete without a street section. In Lafayette, we designed the perimeter of the entire park to allow for a path that offers so many elements fancied by street skate aficionados. Throughout the park and consistent with its “rock” theme, there is over 70 feet of grind-able black granite elements to skate, from silky smooth manual pads to all kinds of different ledges and hubbas. Additionally, there is a unique element called the “Shark Fin” and it is a 9 foot long; 4 inch wide granite piece that sticks out of the concrete (like a shark’s fin) forming a longer than usual “pole jam”. Various stairs, china banks and various sizes of handrails are also present to provide fun, progression and challenges for decades to come! The passion the City and Team Pain had in the entire design and construction process speaks for itself in the end product! If you are in Colorado, this skatepark is a must to check out!
Here are some images provided by various people from the Grand Opening.