Skateponging in Tompkins Square Park

Or is it Pingboarding? Regardless, photos by Bobby Williams today...

Does your son have what it takes to play Kristen Wiig's son?

[Click to enlarge]

As we noted yesterday, Ben Stiller's remake of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is filming around here next week. The movie co-stars Kristen Wiig. There are flyers up in Tompkins Square Parks seeking boys. (These signs always seem creepy.)

Per the sign, Wiig's character's son Rich "is good-natured, a native New Yorker and loves to skate."

"Must be able to skateboard. Tricks like Ollies and kickflips a plus."

[Updated] School officials trash the skateboard ramps from Open Road Park

Earlier this week, an EV Grieve reader told me that the NYC Department of Education closed the Open Road Park, which is adjacent to the East Side Community High School on East 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

This also happened back in June, as we first reported. During a meeting in late June, Mark Federman, the principal of the school, told residents about increased "incidents of trash and debris, smoking cigarettes, marijuana — some selling of marijuana."

The park reopened as of July 1.

We thought this most recent closure would also be temporary.

Not so.

The park's skateboard ramps have been discarded along with the rest of the trash along East 12th Street ...

UPDATED:

A reader on Facebook just commented, "A white station wagon has just removed all but the dark brown ramp, which wouldn't fit in his car."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Open Road Park closed now on 12th Street

Why the Open Road Park is closed

At the Red Bull Manny Mania 2011

At the Red Bull Manny Mania 2011 in Coleman Park under the Manhattan Bridge.

Photos by John Marshall Mantel.

Open Road Park back open last evening

Dunno if it was supposed to be yet... but the gates were open... and I counted 14 skateboarders inside...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Open Road Park closed now on 12th Street

Why the Open Road Park is closed

School official: Open Road Park closure is temporary

As we first reported, officials from the East Side Community High School on East 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue closed Open Road Park last week.

School officials held a meeting to discuss the Open Road Park's future yesterday afternoon at 4. EV Grieve reader dwg was there, and filed this report:

Mark Federman, the principal of the school, spoke to a handful residents and a group of skaters. A woman from Open Road was there, the guy who runs skateboard classes, assistant principal, custodian and a rep from Rosie Mendez's office.

Basically the park was closed because of increasing incidents of trash and debris, smoking cigarettes, marijuana — some selling of marijuana ... and skaters and others in the park before or after hours and trouble with people not respecting set school or other programmed activities.

Federman said the closing is temporary ... to revaluate the hours and increase supervision and come up with defined hours and rules for the park. He said things got a little lax and they need to improve on that.

Open Roads is going to post new signs soon with park hours, rules and regulations ... and then the park will open again. No date was given but sounded like a week or so.

Everyone got a chance to speak and voice concerns. Federman is concerned and aware and wants to keep it open, but run a little tighter program.

The Local East Village has a meeting recap here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Open Road Park closed now on 12th Street

Why the Open Road Park is closed

Late yesterday afternoon at Open Road Park

Photo by Dave on 7th.

Meanwhile, the public meeting to discuss the Open Road Park's future is tomorrow afternoon at 4. The meeting will be in the park here off 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Open Road Park closed now on 12th Street

Why the Open Road Park is closed

Why the Open Road Park is closed

Yesterday, we reported that the NYC Department of Education closed the Open Road Park ... the playground popular with skateboarders adjacent to the East Side Community High School on East 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...

In the comments, a reader noted the following sign outside the Park:

Dear Community Members:

We are very sorry to have to temporarily close the park. East Side Community High School is committed to making this space available to the community and reopening it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there has been an increase in dangerous, disrespectful and illegal behaviors in the park. This includes, but is not limited to, drinking, smoking, fighting, vandalism and excessive littering. This has put our students and community members at risk. We will be working closely with the community and park users to discuss how we can maintain LES Park as a safe public space that serves the community (outside of school and camp hours.) East Side will be holding a public meeting next week to discuss this matter. More details will follow. Please feel free to email lespark@eschs.org with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

Sincerely,

East Side Community High School

However, when we walked by early last evening, someone had apparently ripped down the signs...

DNAinfo has more on the story here.

Open Road Park closed now on 12th Street

An EV Grieve reader told me that the NYC Department of Education has closed the popular Open Road Park ... the park, adjacent to the East Side Community High School on East 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, is a major space, of course, for skateboarders...

Three skateboarders stood rather glumly outside the fence on the 11th Street entrance last evening. None of them had any idea what was happening with the park...

I'm told the school closed the park on Monday. I reached out to the folks who look after Open Road. Via Facebook, they said, "Sorry, we don't know right now. The school is figuring out next steps."

Meanwhile, I sent an email to the address listed on the flyer. It bounced back, noting that "Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently."

Meanwhile at Cooper Union...

...skateboarders are testing out another part of the building's terrain...

Previously.

Skateboarder injured in Tompkins Square Park

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams notes that a skateboarder was injured late this afternoon in Tompkins Square Park...

...we don't know the extent of the injuries ... however, the young man taken away for care...

Gleaming the 2 Coop

You have to be a little creative around Cooper Square these days since Cooper Union officials placed metal spikes on its skateboard ramp fancy design thingee last July.

Anyway, just down the way, 2 Cooper Square, with its roof pool and $20,000 apartments, is filling the void...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Gleaming the Coop

Cooper Union puts the brakes on its skateboarding bank

Cooper Union brass have apparently had enough of gleaming the coop... As Quartersnacks point out, the bank has been skatestopped with spiked metal bars running across the entire surface. "Drunk people will still climb on it, but skateboarders will not."



Well, balls.

And here is the review of the spot from QuarterSnacks:

Spot: Clearly a display of “progressive” architecture, this retarded appendage of the new Cooper Union building quickly turned into one of best skate spots in the area. The bank is an upwards triangle, fairly mellow, and made out of ridiculously smooth, polished concrete. It is narrow, and you will need to dip in and out of the corner when skating it, or simply pop a wallie over one of the many slanted pillars also extending from the building.

Bust — ♦♦♦♦♦ / Almost Immediate: Your time here typically will not last longer than five minutes, but forces greater than all of us have been known to intervene and grant sessions that last for up to a half hour. The spot is positioned right next to the front security desk, so odds are inevitably against you. Oh, and white people with liberal arts degrees will often stop by and ask you why you’re destroying such a magnificent work of art.

How will the Coop entertain us now?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Gleaming the Coop

Board games

A skateboarding tour of the East Village via Vice ... And Gleaming the Coop at the one-minute mark...