SURF COLLUSION ZINE -News Release
News Release March 22, 2022
“Cushing Halfpipe Ramp Placed on Death Watch”- Cushing Skatepark Update by Surf Collusion Zine Good news and bad news; The Cushing green mini-ramp is slated to be sent to scrap metal. Meanwhile a new similar metal ramp will be built spring 2022 by the City of Englewood, Colorado…. For a brief moment in January 2022, it appeared that Denver Park and Recreation (DPR) was making e orts to obtain the green mini halfpipe from the City of Englewood; however, negotiations fell apart on behalf of Denver. The transfer of the green min-ramp to Denver will not happen and the ramp is slatted to be sent to recycle in the coming months. But a similar replacement ramp will be built as part of the Cushing Skate Park renovation project. Denver Councilwoman Kendra Black and DPR Deputy Director John Martinez were in preliminary discussions with City of Englewood Parks of obtaining the mini-ramp halfpipe as part of an installation of the Cushing green mini-ramp halfpipe at a “pop up” skateboard park in SE Denver in June 2022…. In a 180 degree turn, Kaily Blackburn who had been heading up the “pop up” skateboard park event planning group in SE Denver for Councilwoman Black stated, “not to be a Negative Nancy” the planning group had decided to not pursue obtaining the Cushing halfpipe from Englewood. As a result of Ms. Blackburn’s and Councilwoman Black’s lack of transparency on the e orts to obtain the Cushing halfpipe and equal lack of allowing good faith skateboard community involvement in the SE Denver skate park for SE Denver; a group of Denver skateboarders have parted ways with Denver Councilwoman Black and are currently advocating for a Permission DIY Skate Park in SE Denver. More information will be provided in a separate Surf Collusion news release on “the Wave” as a permission DIY e ort at the Kenwood Dam Spillway that is located next to the Kennedy Golf Course in SE Denver next to I-225. To quote Cher, “Do you believe in life after love?….” Cher’s song “Believe” will become the funeral march for the Cushing mini-ramp halfpipe. The City of Englewood has made it known that due to current liability concerns, the ramp will be disposed of as part of the Cushing Skate Park renovation project. But in the above described twist of positive fate, another similar halfpipe will be built in Cushing Park. On March 15th, 2022 the City of Englewood announced on social media: “The votes have been counted and the new Englewood skatepark will have a halfpipe! We received an overwhelming number of votes for Option A, which included a halfpipe. Construction on the new skatepark will start in the coming months, and we are predicting the new skate park will open at the end of August.” The reaction by the Metro-Denver skateboard community ranges from shock to joy to adulation that the green ramp will be reincarnated. Previously the City of Englewood stated that the
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