I read on facebook that Skatelab skate park in Simi Valley is going to be shut down.
The first thing I want to say is that I have only visited this park a few times. And during my first visit to Skatelab I felt that unmistakable old school skatepark feeling. If you never hung out at one of the old school skateparks you wouldn’t understand. As a matter of fact I used to get the same feeling when I localized and worked at Skatopia Skatepark (in Buena Park California back in the late 1970’s). And as im writing this post I realize that the old school feeling has nothing to do with the skateboard museum or even the park itself. Interstingly I cannot really pinpoint why the place made me feel like I was in a old school skatepark. Maybe its the person or people who made that place?
Mixed feelings about Skatelabs closure
Surprisingly, I am both sad and happy that Skatelab is closing. The reasons I am sad are probably obvious. Whereas the reason I am happy is less obvious. It has a little to do with old skateboarders passing on the baton.
Why i’m happy about the closure
So I am happy about the closure in more of a changing of the guard sense. Which is to say (in my opinion) old skaters and old skater culture have hindered skateboarding to some level. Look around, old skate dudes run a lot of the companies and events and in my opinion it drag them down. I for one am curious to see what things new skateboarders will come up with. For me skateboard events, products and skateparks could use a fresh perspective. I believe the younger generation will find something exciting or interesting for skateboarding. So will the old skateboarding generation hand down control to the young? My guess would be no.
Skatelab is an important part of skateboarding history
In closing, to be clear I do not think that Skatelab has held back the progression of skateboarding. I mean what I say in more of a symbolic sense. And in a perfect world the place would be preserved in an even more museum like environment. But sadly old school skateboarding history like Jazz (another American invention) will probably slip into a slumber and ultimately fade away, And maybe thats the natural way of things?