“Parks are lifelines for people,” said Jennifer Gutiérrez, the 36-yr-old NYC Councilmember representing Brooklyn's 34th District. “They bring certain people together and uplift communities.”
And, on Tuesday, July 16, local skaters, community members and advocates like Gutiérrez did just that: They came together at Martinez Playground in East Williamsburg to celebrate the grand reopening of Blue Park Skatepark.
“You say [Blue Park], and I bet skateboarders across the country are going to understand what you’re talking about," said Alec Beck, manager of public education for the skatepark "It’s a very high profile but very simplistic and effective use of space."
General renovations at Martinez Playground include new basketball equipment, a safety walkway, repainted picnic tables, benches and more.
Restoration of the iconic 7,000 sq-ft skate space was made possible through the work of local advocates and their supporters, such as Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Martin Maher, Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, Vans Skateboarding and Tony Hawk’s The Skatepark Project.
There’s a whole lot of passion and the advocates are what make projects such as Blue Park’s reopening happen, said Beck
Renovations include three obstacles that pay homage to original obstacles constructed by the local community. “We’re glad to partner with Vans in honoring the community’s passion for skateboarding by providing contemporary, artistic skate obstacles that are permanent and safe,” Executive Director of the Skateboard Project Benjamin Anderson Bashein said in a statement.
Blue Park’s reopening not only gives community members an, overall, more attractive and improved facility, it also offers a safe, legal and consistent place for people to skate. “It means a lot when you’re a skater, who doesn’t have many legal places to skate, when they see investment come into a facility that’s important to them. They feel seen, they feel understood,” Beck said.
While Blue Park is a very simple, effective space for beginners, Beck said, it is engaging for advanced skaters. “So, it’s a really good connecting zone for everybody to feel comfortable and come ride together."
“Shoutout to Brooklyn,” Beck said. “The local skate scene shows up, does the work and gets involved. They are shaping [skateparks] into what they need, what they want and what they think is not only best for themselves, but for other people in the next generation of skaters.”
