Sonny Belch Skate Dot

 Sonny Belch Skate Dot

Formerly Hillcrest Park

Parking lot on Centre St.  Skate Feature is in the centre of the park.

Beware

I need to put this update in here.  The central obstacle, the barrier hubba/stair set, has been rebuilt with straight stairs and a wide hubba.  There's a horrendous seam before the top stair & right in the landing zone.  

The new obstacle is a much more standard version of the previous design. Banks, rail, steps and a block hubba. 

It's the Half Inch unsealed foam gap at both the top and bottom that blow my mind. 

A gap this large, right before the takeoff and in the landing, would be Bondo'd in the streets.

& now...the OG post

This one's gonna take a lot of explaining.  I can't remember how I found out about this project (someone either told me and I forget who OR I discovered it while lurking info on Tamworth) but I didn't like what I saw so I stuck my nose where it belongs but wasn't invited.

I'm gonna focus on this skate dot but everything here applies to the 'Skills Development' park addition at Riverside Skatepark, Belleville.

I Found the design online and thought it was terrible.

So here's the OG design. If you find it hard to decipher, you're not alone.  1. There's a volcano in front of the stairs. 2. A myriad of other issues. 3. It was created by a firm with no skatepark design background.

I reached out to the town and spoke with someone at parks.  He informed me the design was based on feedback of a skatepark users working group.  I still pointed out the issues as I saw them. 

Next thing I know, the design has changed and CRC is attached to build. After their last 5 projects, I was less than enthused.

They moved the ledge in.  One good move.

Huge Puddle. Way to finish guys.

This design looks cute. I'm not mad at it but it's the quality of the construction that sucks.

Pivot, Please come north and give your Canadian counterparts some help.

IDK why the side of the QP is spackled. 

Uneven seam at the bottom of the stairs.

Another dip leading to puddles

The design didn't call for the blending of the stairs into the barrier.  I believe this was an on-site decision that made for more work by the crew and made the spot worse.  It messes with your perspective.  The edge of the stairs creates an imaginary line you pop before but the blending actually puts that pop point further back.  Basically, my front wheels were starting down the 'waterfall' when I felt like I should be popping an ollie so I had to start popping earlier.

The edge of some stairs are already crumbling & the face of the steps appears to be treated with spackle as well.

(in fact, I've just heard reports that the spot has been closed for repairs after only a few months of use. Update - the feature has been rebuilt, see above)

This scratchy concrete finish is well below industry standard in 2024. I've been to DIY's that have better Crete work.

How do you like your quarterpipes? Lumpy?

Lumpy with coping reveal?

Or with no coping reveal?

Belch is right.