Here are the plans for what is getting built. Dirt has been getting dug already, late August completion. The street is a bit of a let down, a lot more functional than the original drawings. Some decent ledges, a flat bar and a hip are what everyone has been asking for. The budget being $100k less is what has hurt the project. The removal of some seating and no pool coping in the bowl has saved money.

PDF link

http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/globalassets/areas/capital-works-delivery/clifton-brunswick-skate-detail-site-plan.pdf

I did try and wait until it was open but I didn't last. I had my first roll there yesterday.

The bowl is great. I have never worn pads but I just bought some after my first session. It's a size that is a real challenge. I am looking forward to stepping up my skateboarding and taking it on over summer. I have had 99% positive feedback from the bowl, with the 1% bummed about no pool coping. It's a bummer, but with the budget constraints I get it. I would rather have steel coping than pool coping that would have no ongoing budget maintenance so I'm not overly phased about it personally. The coping is perfectly set, Precision have done a spot on job on the build. The joins are beautiful. Darren at Baseplate has nailed the design, the waterfall section from the 8-11ft are a work of art. So fun, and catch you off guard and spit you out in unplanned directions.

I had a brutal week, my wife was in hospital (nothing serious but it's still a stress) and the instrumental intro to Suiciadal's "Bring me down" came into my headphones on shuffle as I walked up to the clover. It was pretty epic, and I had to stop for a moment and savour the moment. I reflected back on this often shitty thread, had a chuckle to myself and enjoyed my first roll in.

From the 99% positive feedback from crew about the bowl to the reasons why I have had 100% negative feedback about the "street" section...

I skated it, it just doesn't work. I am honestly very grateful to have access to .Enlocus. They are always receptive for a chat and have given me, and many others a face to face meeting when requested. I completely appreciate the budget being wound back and the limitations with the awkward site.

That said, the outcome is a disappointment. I am relatively ok at generating speed but I struggled to get to the 2ft tranny without pushing after rolling in to the 5ft quarter. The hip works, the flat bar is fun, even though you leave the park after hitting it. A street park is there to learn new tricks in, without the imperfections of real street obstacles and getting booted out. So symmetry is important. You want to learn new frontside and backside tricks. The hubba is one sided, and too short. The rail is one sided, as the small euro kills one side of it. I did raise this with Enlocus at the final stages. The rail is tiny and awkward. I know it is a difficult shaped space to deal with but there is no space between the ledges. The manny pad is too small (how many times was the L block at citypark discussed as the recomended height?) I recal complete agreement on certain things, such as two identical ledges in a row. A parking block topped cinder block ledge. I don't recall a rainbow rail bump to bump being mentioned once.

It is just a cramped design and feels rushed.

Everyone at the couple of years worth of consultations was trying to get a great bowl next to a functional, simple street section. Ledges and manual pads with space around them. All the "street" drafts missed the wishes of the consultation participants. That is a fair statement to say. By the divisive direction the consultations went the street section has been rushed and not worked. It is a very poor outcome.

I'm not in any way intending disrespect to Enlocus as they have had a lot of challenges getting this park built. I'm appreciative of their level of engagement and have no doubts about their sincerity to deliver the best outcome. Anyone that knows me knows I have no choice but to speak my mind and I reckon this critique is fair.

So where to now? I think we need to push for the dreaded stage two. Yes, that mythical beast that rarely sees reality beyond urban myth. There is enough space there, and by clever use of materials we can get a street section in line with EVERYONES expectations that attended the consultations. There wasn't a divisive split like this thread would have you believe. Everyone that attended was trying very hard to get a great street section built.

How do we do this? In the short term, make the park a success. Don't shoot ourselves in the foot. Clean up after yourselves and the lazy fuckers who don't. Don't tag or graff the joint. It is costly to repair and every buff takes a few hours of the life of the surface. We will start the lobbying process, when meetings happen get down there. I appreciate that some that did attend the last ones could be disheartened.

Thank you to Wade, who parted ways with Enlocus. I cannot help but think this lead to a communication breakdown and I personally think he would have delivered a better street course. Huge thanks to Alli. She is the best advocate for us and is a massive asset. Thanks to Darren at Baseplate and Precision for the build.

That was definitely a messy consultation process and I can't help but feel for the street skaters. It was never going to be a win/win situation when street was pitched against bowl.

If there is a stage two in the works Id be keen to help lobby for the plaza/ street park

also, big thanks to Alli, and Moreland council for getting such a rad bowl built... it looks insane!

I had my first roll there on Tuesday, I agree the street section was disappointing. Feels more like something to mess around on between bowl runs than something that actually caters to street skaters. I will say though, the differing levels in the construction left some epic gaps. Hip/Bank to footpath is one I'm looking forward to seeing done

Are they going to put a platform on the hip? I have seen a couple people fall off the back so far.

Adding a platform to the hip could be an "easy" fix to generate speed for hitting the rail and maybe the euro too.

Thanks for putting forward some excellent thoughts Josh... moving forward and rounding this out into a rad park for all of brunswick's skate population to enjoy is definitely the way to go.

Yeah I've been trying to skate the euro and bump to bar. You need to come from the back wall and carve over the hip as high and tight as possible. Bloody dangerous when people are coming the other way and then you nearly always come off the hip not balanced for the rail and can't get in far enough for the euro.

I went there a week or 2 ago and i have to agree with Josh, none of the street things that were mentioned at the meeting i went out of my way to attend seem to have even got a look in. The street section is very disappointing. The hubba is only one sided and short/steep, big bank with a tiny rail on it, no platform on the hip makes it hard to get run up for things. The short fun box which was never even mentioned. I could go on but you get the gist. I would not deliberately go there again.

I hear ya Tim B. I thought we made real progress at the last consultation.

seems that regional councils are better at skateparks than the inner city suburbs. wodonga......

Its always the case bibby, you'll find some of the best skateparks are in the places where there's little to no skatepark scene

Righto, I'm locked in on this site for my uni assignment. I'll have a stage 2 concept suitable for funding in a couple of months. This is all a long shot but we will have a go.