field trip
Just Droppin In
Good vibes and cool terrains make the indoor Stronger Skatepark in Milwaukie a hot spot for kids to skateboard through the winter. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SARAH VANBUSKIRK
M
y kids have grown up skateboarding — their dad gave them each (all five of them, ages 8 to 16) skateboards for their first or second birthdays. Still, Portland’s rainy winters and my kids’ love of many different sports have meant they’ve always skateboarded in fits and starts. But at the beginning of the school year, after about a yearlong lull, my three younger boys (Walter, age 8, Noah, age 10, and Hank, age 12), and seemingly just about every other kid they know, were suddenly obsessed with skateboarding. This renewed passion has them skateboarding to school, after school, and just about any other time they can. Fast forward to the first rainy weeks of fall, and my boys were begging to go to an indoor skatepark. They’d been to Commonwealth Skatepark in inner Southeast, but didn’t feel totally comfortable there as they thought it was awesome but a bit better suited to more advanced skaters. So we decided to try out Stronger Skatepark, the brainchild of AJ Waters, which opened in April 2019. It’s located a mile outside of Portland, in Milwaukie, right next to Urban Warrior, the indoor obstacle training park. I’d heard great things, as had my boys, and Stronger Skatepark’s positive reputation didn’t disappoint. In addition to building a skatepark, Waters sought to build community among Portland skateboarders, and the veteran skater has done just that. My kids were hooked from the second they peeked through the wall of windows that faces the parking lot, and they felt right at home when they walked through the door. It’s a bright, clean space with an engaging, mellow, welcoming vibe. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, as is the clientele. The wooden indoor park, built by local ramp builder Scott Everly, features a Baltic birch top surface and a range of terrain, including multiple quarterpipes and banks, a street section, a 4-foot mini ramp, and a 2-1/2-foot micro mini ramp. The course welcomes newbies and challenges experienced riders. On the night we were there, there were enough other kids (and young adults) to build a thrumming energy without it being too many. They all had enough room to explore, plus lots of “pro skaters” to inspire them.
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December 2019
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pdxparent.com
In fact, my boys were so excited to start skating that they had their helmets on even before getting out of the car. Once we got through signing waivers and paying, they literally scrambled to get out onto the park. (Although they were happy to kill time while I signed waivers messing around with Tech Decks — a popular brand of fingerboards, which are another obsession and are essentially mini skateboards you ride with your finger — on the mini skateboard course in the lounge area next to the signin desk.) They then hurriedly made their way up to the bank, where a group of kids stood waiting for their turns to drop in. Then, they too waited. A few minutes passed. I noticed they were still waiting, and their excited grins had dimmed, replaced with worry. I wasn’t sure what to do, particularly as I was of no help since I can’t even step on a skateboard myself, let alone give advice on how to ride one. So, I just smiled at them and watched them stand up there for a while. But soon I noticed that weren’t just waiting, they were watching, too. Then, one by one, they, too, took tries at dropping in — and off they went. Yes, there were a few tumbles (and a bandage or two and multiple breaks for something to drink) but their anxious faces quickly transformed into thrilled ones as they began zipping across the park. “It takes courage to drop in,” shared Noah, “but once you do, it’s awesome.” I liked that, as an observer, I could sit along the counter that lines the park, which is close enough to the action but also not in the line