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"Best Of" Skate Park Breaks Ground Near Unisphere
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 26, 2010
Modified Mar 26, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 26, 2010
Modified Mar 26, 2010
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Earlier this week, construction got started on a new skate park near the 1964 World's Fair site in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The 16,000 square foot course, which is being built above the old Astral Fountain, will feature elements from around the city: "Original Brooklyn Banks 9-stair replica rail; Union Square rail/steps Police Plaza 7-stair rail/various stairs; Ziegfeld ledge; Chrystie Park ledge; Exchange Place street gap; JFK Banks; Con Ed Banks; Pyramid ledges; Flushing Meadows Park ledge-over-the-grate replica."
The skate park is being created in anticipation of a skateboarding competition, the Maloof Money Cup that will take place June 5 and 6. The Maloof Money Cup donated the park through the NYC Parks & Recreation Department's Adopt-a-Park program, and Joe Maloof, whose family owns the Sacramento Kings basketball team, said, "New York was first on our list of expansion markets because its the headquarters for skateboarding on the East Coast and is home to some of the most iconic skate spots in the world. With the Brooklyn Banks now closed for four years and the Unisphere set to close indefinitely, the timing was perfect for us to bring the Maloof Money Cup to New York City."
YourNabe reports the project was given the go-ahead by the Community Board and Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy, whose chairwoman Pat Dolan said, "I wouldn’t say I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm, but I did not see anything wrong with it" (since it would be open to the public).
Tagged
1964 world's fair
flushing meadows corona park
maloof money park
queens
skate park
skateboarding
world's fair site
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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