On April 1st I was featured in a April Fools Day video for a Paramedic Skateboard Response Team. We filmed me skating at Mississauga Icelands.
My first solo part I guess.
Not the best shot or edited but it was fun to do. Even if it was only 3 degrees the day we filmed. I'm sure everyone can do without the 12 seconds of me breathing heavily at the end.
It was followed up with a safety message.
Super zoom into my crotch after landing primo. I worked hard to get one kickflip and they didn't even use the good one. Just me failing.
In celebration of their 50th year, Vans opened a pop-up skatepark/venue in Toronto for 2 weeks. It held workshops, demos, art expos, skateboard lessons and concerts. Everyday featured a free waffle breakfast. I was only able to get there for the last day but it was fun. I went with my friend Jay, who can be seen in the new Baitshop Presented vid - DAD BEERS.
We checked out the place and grabbed a waffle first.
The building is becoming a brewery next.
Some history.
Art.
Waffle on a stick and coffee. So good.
We had some time to kill before the free skate so we skated down to Honest Ed's. Going to Ed's with my dad is one of my earliest memories of Toronto when we moved there so I wanted to go once more before it closes in December.
I had no plans on buying anything but on the way to the exit I spotted this.
It was a sign. Bought it for $2.26 and kept the receipt.
Angus Glen Skate Spot Angus Glen Community Centre 3990 Major Mackenzie Dr E, Markham, ON A ledge lovers dream with a fun quarter pipe and small barrier located in a great community park.
The quarter over culvert adds some challenge to a mellow QP.
New park projects go right onto the map in yellow or orange.
I try to stay up to date on parks that are raising funding, under council review or under construction. I'll try to keep this section updated on new or proposed parks I haven't been to yet. (March 1 2026 update)
Arnprior - Local Advocates have done a great job and are looking for further funding to bring the project up 400K. Design is out now and it's fantastic. They got Papillon and Grand Opening was on July 10, 2026.
Brampton, ON - Gore Meadows Concrete skatepark is done but opening is ETA Oct, 2026. Embleton CC is supposed to have a skatepark. Ceremonial ground breaking Dec 6, 2025. Reached out for skatepark info - no reply. I've also heard the Ching has an expiry date.
Belleville - Clarence Bird Park multi-use court to have a pre-fab skate spot. These fools still haven't learned their lesson with Canadian Ramp Co.
Brant/Brantford - Arrowdale Skate Spot has opened & Blance E Williams Community Centre skatepark is done with the park/CC to open in 2026.
Burlington - Four of Burlington's skateparks, Mtn Side, Brant Hills, Palladium and DesJardines, have had a total of 5 pre-cast concrete features removed due to deterioration. It shouldn't be hard to guess who supplied these features. Answer HERE. Consultations re: new features should happen this summer (2026). I'm now Talking with Media about this and Norton Skatepark. Looks like Norton may close for re-furbishment (?) in 2027.
Caledon - Wray (Jeremy Wray?) Park is getting a nice mini-bowl. Pro-pour on site. ETA 2027. Caledon East Park may be doing something too.
Cambridge, ON - Advocacy for Hespeler - Site selection underway as first site rejected as it's in a flood plane.
Cobourg - Push for a concrete park. Location could be new Rec Centre or the current location of the metal park.
Cramahe - I was chatting with their Parks guy over a year ago. Then ghosted.
Delhi - I stuck my nose in where it belongs but wasn't invited.
East Gwillimbury - Skatepark & Pump track under construction at new HALP Community Centre. Now Open. Finished Park HERE.
Georgetown - Skate Spot on Miller Dr was to be built in fall 2025. Now under construction.
Grand Bend - Local advocate is working on updates to the park.
Guelph - Mkinaak Donjibaa Park is getting a 'Skate-Node'. Info & Park Layout Survey HERE. No work yet.
Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Skateboard Assembly Facebook - Hamilton needs 9 more skateparks article. Beasley got some work. Alexander Park (concept below) was started in early 2024 but a high water table stalled the project. No additional work done on the bowls as of Nov '24. Work to begin 'on or before Aug 10, 2026 and go until Aug 31, 2027' wtf. Only design change is that the deep bowl will not be as deep. Source
Hensall & Walkerton both stalled in planning stages.
Innisfil - plans for a new park at Innisfil Beach - ETA 2030. Innisfil Town Square has street spots.
Kincardine - New Concrete park by Drop-in is open.
Lakeshore, ON - I'd been chatting with a concrete skatepark company about updates but it looks like Belle River went with metal CRC (now open) and Stoney Point will have a fresh asphalt pad and the old ramps. Unsurprisingly, local residents are not happy with the noise coming from the new 300K$ park.
London, ON - West Lions is set to be demo'd and a new pre-fab park with slappy curb is in the works. Local advocates are not satisfied but got the project to have skatelite rather than metal. New site appears to be poured. OPEN.
Loyalist Township, Amherstview, ON - Loyalist Park finished/opened the pump track and skate spot will be completed when funding is secured. ( PROJECT)
Mississauga - Iceland is getting refurbished. Survey Results are out. Zonta Meadows Park update includes a concrete pumper, bowl and mini - ETA Oct 2026. Malton has reopened with new ramps. 2024 Parks Plan calls for 3 more parks.
New Tecumseth - Concrete park plans seem to have Died. Website is down. IG not updated in a while. New pump track tossed in by the splash pad. But all hope is not lost. The 'GoFundMe' posted an update in July that the township would be building 2 new parks, Alliston and Tottenham, in 2030.
Ottawa - Gailea Momolu Skatepark is getting a concrete update. ETA of 2026 as per the city & after LRT construction is done(which it wasn't when I visited in May '26). Plans for new skateparks at Boothfield Park(no ETA) & Francois Dupuis District Park(Eta 2028?).
Orillia, ON - SHOVELS IN THE GROUND!!! FACEBOOK May 2026. Oct 17 grand opening I'm told.
Pickering - Pickering Community Skatepark (Hydro corridor North of Kingston Rd) - Design HERE. ETA Oct 2026.. Seaton Rec is in the works (ETA 2030). South Pickering Ward 2, Dave Ryan Park and more slated for spots/parks. Follow HERE
Peterborough - Bonnerworth Project is open. Local Advocates are working on more spots.
Port Hope - Ph2 Pump Track is now open.
Richmond Hill - Richmond Green Revitalization Project includes a new concrete skatepark in a more central location. Click HERE
Toronto, ON - Wallace Emerson Community Center construction continues but the bowls are done - ETA fall 2026 at earliest. Earl Bales is open. Eglinton Park is also supposed to be started summer 2025. Plus a bunch more like Elizabeth Simcoe & Confederation. Everything Toronto can be found HERE
Vaughan, ON - North Maple regional park - possibly cancelled, status unknown. New Pump Track planned for Purpleville Park (Teston & Pine Valley) ETA 2028.
Watford / Warwick, ON - Centennial Park in Watford decommissioned the BMX park in 2021. A revitalization plan is underway with plans for new terrain in the future.
Existing Parks I need to hit.
So many, check the map.
Here's a map if you want to hit them before me - MAP Parks I've been to in RED Parks I need to hit in GREEN Parks in planning or construction in YELLOW
Existing Parks that are being replaced in ORANGE
Montreal Area
Greater Detroit area
NF NY to Rochester
Great skateparks are built by skaters. The best producers of skateparks have skaters who design, survey and build. They are also totally cool so if you ever want info on a park just contact them. New Line Spectrum - now gone but their former staff are still busy. (see Radius)
If you're looking for a cool gift this year I suggest checking out Skate Stratford (skatestratford.com). They are fundraising for a new park (photos of the current park can be found HERE) and donations of as low as $50 will get you on the donor wall plus a T-shirt. Stratford has been fighting long and hard for this park. Check out their Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RollingInShakespearePark/
This year give the gift of Skateboarding. Donate to a Park Project or drop off a complete to a Toy Drive. You might change someones life.
It looks like it might be a green Christmas in the Toronto Area so GO SKATE.
Now open officially, (A Grand Opening will be held May 14, 2016) Caesarea has a beautiful park to call their own. Designed by Spectrum Skataparks, it features wave patterns on some ledges and the rails are supported by anchors, paying respect to the town's waterfront history. The Mayor even took a ride on his board( kudos for the helmet Mayor. You set a good example.)
This was the 12th park this year and 276th on the life list. Well done Susie and everyone else involved. Thanks to the two nice ladies who held my son so I could sweep and take a quick ride on the park.
October 2, 2015 - A day of 4 parks.
I always set myself goals when it comes to skateboarding. Usually they involve hitting certain parks or getting involved in projects. I wanted to hit 10 new parks this year (hit 60 new last year) and with the birth of my son, I felt this low number was attainable. This morning I ventured back to the KW area and after breakfast with friends I went to the long delayed Wellesley Park. # 273 Not pretty but I'll take it.
Damaged leg on modular ledge.
A single quarter pipe.
It took over 8 years and a mid construction halt to end up with this. Half of the budget was spent on excavation, refilling and re-excavating the site. Read some of this stupid story here - Obverver Wellesley skatepark.
Next, I went back to Elmira to skate a little and get the snow free shots I didn't get at the grand opening as I was having too much fun.
Next I headed to the new park in Kitchener in Fischer Park near Forest Heights Library. After breaking up a stupid high school fight I skated and my back truck nearly lost its bolt. The park is really nice but I feel it could have been better. The youth at the design meeting I attended seemed very entitled. I'll explain- Kitchener budgeted for 2 skatepark to be built over 4 years (at an est. cost of 400000-500000$ each). None of the youth were willing to compromise on what they wanted and to result was a really deep bowl (9 foot. First render had shallower bowl with stairs) and smaller everything else (5 set and 3.5 foot quarter. Most ledges and rails were raised for bikes.) In the end, most skaters wanted a plaza and Bmx'rs wanted a deep bowl to air out of. What I believe in the end will be two really good parks could have been two amazing parks if the guys at the design meeting had realized that with a little patience they could have 1 amazing plaza park and 1 amazing bowl park. But maybe that's the grey hairs talking. Park # 274.
This old dude, borrowed my board, said it was too tight, tried to do a spin & fell.
Last I went to the new park in Cambridge.
I like it. It has a nice long ledge over the manny pad. Park # 275 and apparently my 11th park of the year.
