Park construction a complicated process
Published Monday October 13th, 2008
Skateboarding Some of the facility's 30 elements mimic uptown locations
JEFF DUCHARME
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
SAINT JOHN - As workers heave around a hose on the end of a telescopic arm that pumps concrete from a nearby truck, Grady keeps an eye on the operation. Momentarily distracted by someone throwing an orange ball in his direction, the chocolate Labrador quickly returns to the task at hand - watching every movement at the site of the new skateboard park that will open on Oct. 31.
Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-Journal
Kyle Eidner ties rebar in preparation for cement to be poured with one of the brick ramps behind him as the skateboard park takes shape under the viaduct.
"If we need a hole dug, we'll bury a stick and he'll dig it for us," said Dwayne Mazereeuw of New Line Skate Parks
Grady is the company mascot. He keeps the site secure and is company for the eight workers from New Line that are doing the work.
With some 30 different elements, the park will have no problem keeping area skaters entertained, but because of the location under the viaduct, construction has been complicated since getting equipment in and out of the site can be a logistical nightmare. Much of the cement has been dumped from the back of trucks, which takes longer than the pumping method.
With money from the province, city, corporations and fundraising by local skaters, the price tag for the park is approximately $600,000.
"There's people looking every day," said Mazereeuw.
"They're just blown away."
Keeping the skaters away and off the curing concrete has been one of the bigger challenges for Grady and his two-legged crew.
While many of the elements can be seen in other parks New Line has designed and built, the street-plaza design has some unique features such as elements that mimic roofs complete with brick facades stamped into them. Certain elements are also painted to match the colour of Harbour Passage.
'It's basically meant to mimic some (uptown) spots," said Mazereeuw.
A set of stairs in one corner of the park looks quite a bit like the cascade of stairs in front of City Hall - a favourite spot for skaters to hang out and jump, flip and grind their boards.
Mazereeuw himself has built some 20 parks and New Line has built more than 100 parks in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. It's only the second park the company has built under a bridge, with the other one being in Vancouver.
"We try to make every park unique and different," Mazereeuw said.
With the bulk of the park made out of reinforced concrete, the facility will last through generations of skaters.
Construction was tricky because of sewer, water, gas and other utility lines in the area. The utilities snaking every which way just metres below the surface have complicated the design and meant digging must be limited. The design also had to accommodate maintenance vehicles that require access to the underside of the viaduct.
But the complications of the uptown location also adds to the unique feel of the park.
"Skateboarders travel around to different parks," said Mazereeuw. "You'll see a lot of people come from out of town."
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