Sayonara Orlando Vans Park
Posted Jan. 23, 2012, 2:17 p.m. /
After 10 magical years in our skatepark in Orlando we are sad to have to say goodbye.
The mall that we occupied for the past decade is being leveled to the ground
to build...another mall. And so it was with heavy heart that Steve Van Doren
fired up the grill one last time Friday night, January 20th with Tony Trujillo,
Omar Hassan and Daniel Lutheran for a free, open skate for all the Floridians
who have supported us throughout the years. Over 1200 kids came out to shred,
eat hot dogs, get an autograph, give and get high fives and say their last goodbyes.
Springsteen said, "Everything dies, that's a fact but maybe everything that dies
some day comes back."
We did not build the place just to watch it destroyed and so elements of the park will be
resurrected sooner than you think.
All of the wooden ramps were broken down over the weekend with the wood and Skatelite
being divied up between The Skatepark of Tampa, a number of local area skateparks as well
as being being driven up to our House of Vans in Brooklyn for a facelift and resurfacing.
As a memorial to all the good times shared down in Central Florida Vans also dropped
two Team Pain obstacles at the local Orlando Park as a reminder of our eternal thanks
to every skater that showed us love in The Sunshine State.
Thanks to everyone that came out Friday night and any night ever to skate.
Goodnight, Orlando. Hit the lights.
Look for an episode of Adventures with Chris on the closing events soon.
In the meantime here's some cellphone footage of the legendary Mike Frasier
on closing night, provided by Skatepark of Tampa:
And here's some recent footage of a private skate night at the House of Vans in Brooklyn, NY
with NJ Skateshop, to give you an idea of what's currently there and
let your mind imagine the improvements we'll be making:
The mall that we occupied for the past decade is being leveled to the ground
to build...another mall. And so it was with heavy heart that Steve Van Doren
fired up the grill one last time Friday night, January 20th with Tony Trujillo,
Omar Hassan and Daniel Lutheran for a free, open skate for all the Floridians
who have supported us throughout the years. Over 1200 kids came out to shred,
eat hot dogs, get an autograph, give and get high fives and say their last goodbyes.
Springsteen said, "Everything dies, that's a fact but maybe everything that dies
some day comes back."
We did not build the place just to watch it destroyed and so elements of the park will be
resurrected sooner than you think.
All of the wooden ramps were broken down over the weekend with the wood and Skatelite
being divied up between The Skatepark of Tampa, a number of local area skateparks as well
as being being driven up to our House of Vans in Brooklyn for a facelift and resurfacing.
As a memorial to all the good times shared down in Central Florida Vans also dropped
two Team Pain obstacles at the local Orlando Park as a reminder of our eternal thanks
to every skater that showed us love in The Sunshine State.
Thanks to everyone that came out Friday night and any night ever to skate.
Goodnight, Orlando. Hit the lights.
Look for an episode of Adventures with Chris on the closing events soon.
In the meantime here's some cellphone footage of the legendary Mike Frasier
on closing night, provided by Skatepark of Tampa:
And here's some recent footage of a private skate night at the House of Vans in Brooklyn, NY
with NJ Skateshop, to give you an idea of what's currently there and
let your mind imagine the improvements we'll be making:
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