So long Emilyside, we hardly knew you.
Much like the rest of the country, skateparks in Vancouver have been closed for over two months now. Emilyside, the name coined for a pitstop-style-street-turned-DIY-spot adjacent to Emily Carr University, was just one of many dead-zones across Vancouver that was brought to life by skaters. The diversity of people skating down there every time I rolled through always put a smile on my face.
As I've been putting together these photos I shot there over the last few days, I received a text from one of the builders that this triple-barrier portion, along with the rest of the smaller curb sections you may see off in the background, were removed this very early this morning, due to supposed noise complaints and liability issues. As you can see, this spot was on an industrial, unpopulated street, next to a train yard and cargo storage lot. It's hard to believe that noise was an issue.
No matter what they say or do, let’s all keep this energy alive. This spot, and spots like it, spots built or reappropriated by skaters, can provide a scene different than anything that city council is going to give you. Thanks to everyone that was involved in building this spot and making it what it was. See you at the next one. —Jeff Thorburn
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So long, Emilyside. We hardly knew ya, but we loved ya. Props on the job well done by those that built this. We’ll keep it digitally-anonymous.
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