September 28, 2009
ROSENDAHL TO CELEBRATE GRAND OPENING OF VENICE BEACH SKATE PARK
Public Invited
Who: Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky
Jon Mukri, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks
Gary Lee Moore, City Engineer
Geri Lewis, executive director of the Venice Surf and Skateboard Assoc.
Jesse Martinez, professional skater
Jay Adams, professional skater
Tony Alva, professional skater
When: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 3, 2009
Where: On beach near the Public Art Walls (“Graffiti Walls”) and existing
skate dance area near Windward Avenue and Ocean Front Walk
Venice Beach, CA 90291
What: Councilmember Bill Rosendahl will join professional and amateur skaters from around the country to celebrate the grand opening of the long awaited Venice Beach Skate Park.
The Venice area is widely credited as the birthplace of modern skateboarding and skaters have long frequented the Ocean Front Walk area. When the City of Los Angeles renovated Venice Beach in 1999-2001, skaters demanded the City honor that legacy and build an official skate park. City officials responded, and this weekend a new 16,000 square foot skate facility now joins the many other distinctive attractions that are part of Venice’s landscape.
Design input from local skaters and skating professionals helped make the Venice Beach Skate Park one of the most challenging arenas for skaters to ride. The facility rivals other skate parks around the world but stands out as one of the only skate parks located on a beach.
The $2.4 million project was paid from a variety of City funding sources secured by Rosendahl and his predecessors: Quimby Funds, Damson Oil Facility Restoration Funds, Venice Area Surplus Real Property Trust Funds and Capital Improvement Expenditure Programs.
