Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Dropping In.


Thanks to all who have helped out to make Polar Bear Memorial Skatepark a safe, clean, and happy place to skate. I met Asher and his dad Tom at Gilbert Lindsay Skatepark( a sk8prk VSA helped open up with SPAUSA) on 42nd Ave and San Pedro.I told them to come to the V sk8prk and they have not left yet. 5yrs old or 50yrs old, the stoke will never leave you.100% SK8R!

Friday, October 16, 2009


Let me take you back in time, to 2000. The pavilion had been crushed, skater Mecca (Venice Pavilion) razed! Our tribe gathered to make council and VSA rallied in front of the dozed rubble of hundreds of millions or steel, clay and urethane dreams. A demonstration for a skatepark took place; we rallied, petitioned, spoke and endeavored to build the dream. OH! Detractor and posers you will never fathom the personal toll to the many good folks who lent a hand in the struggle. To my skater brothers and sisters who are not on this earth to enjoy concrete nirvana, VSA salutes you! R.i.P Polar Bear, Paul Cullen , Big Fern, Dillon, Whitey, Mike Smith, Thumper,Pat Sleeper.


Check this out.The issue with the sk8park is not homelessness. It would be fantastic to train and employ the disenfranchised in some capacity as to ensure integrity of the sk8park. However it is simplistic to think that to “give a homeless person a flashlight” will help anything at the skatepark or is realistic. Unfortunately the people trashing the park don't skate or care about the sk8park. These people are defecating, smoking dope, fornicating and or using the facility for the wrong purpose. These same people who are trashing the sk8park , did not lend a hand when VSA and L.A City arrived @ 6:00am to clean up their mess. Lets call a spade a spade and not B.S each other.
Erroneous information and heresy will be sussed out and exposed as fraud. After all, I missed you at the California Coastal Commission hearing in 2001. Oh you didn't hear about that? Well surely you were at the hearing in 2003 at the West L.A Purdue office to secure funds to remediate Danson oil well? Oh not there either? Well how about the very first Venice Coastal Development Plan in 1989 at the paddle Tennis courts? You can of course get my drift. Posers step off. Heritage, tradition and pride cannot be bought or sold it is instilled and earned one broken bone at a time, one frontside air at a time.
In any struggle you will have detractors, defectors and an attrition rate, it is a result of warfare, any good soldier will tell you that. “Man, we have been doing this for 30 years”-Jesse Martinez

Monday, October 12, 2009

LAPD evicts VSA Night Community Watch

VSA members were evicted from night community watch on Oct 12 @ sundown. Sgt Reyna informed VSA members that due to legal ramifications and issues such as bonding and insurance the VSA is unable to watch and or secure Venice skatepark from vandals and the like at the sk8prk after dark. VSA will consult with attorneys on the matter as well as City Council and County DA'soffice on the matter. I wish to congratulate VSA members/volunteers who have done an excellent job providing a diligent, safe, vigiliant and professional team of volunteers.VSA members and skaters are upset and saddened as within 10 miniutes of being evicated ,the skatepark was overrun by BMX and rouge skaters.It is obvious the LAPD cannot secure the skatepark 24Hours a day and I fear what carnage awaits in the morning.I want to add that Sgt Reyna said the VSA is providing a neccessary function and he appreciates what we have done but it is a legal issue. VSA will continue it's day hours skate patrol and grounds clean up as scheduled. We need you, John Q skater to join us in the fight for jobs, education and respect. Power to the People!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Body Count!







Hello all and thank you for the fantastic turn out on OCT 3rd. VSA is really stoked to welcome all the new personal members as well as the core supporters and volunteers. Getting the park open was only one mission of the VSA and now the real difficult task of maintaining the integrity, cleanliness and safety of the sk8prk has begun. VSA volunteers have staffed the sk8prk with trained volunteers with expertise in the administration of skateparks. In addition the VSA is assisting L.A City Recreation and Parks with the removal of sand and grounds maintenance of the area. Furthermore VSA members have participated in training with L.A County & L.A City Fire, and (already) one evacuation of skater from the street course. With L.A County Fire. Here are some numbers to numb your brain, In 3 days we have had 4000 visitors to the sk8prk! As soon as the sun rises there are sk8rs ready to roll and @ 6:00 there were 10 sk8rs ready to drop in. Accidents and injuries include: broken collar bone, separated shoulder, broken pelvis, broken ankle, knee laceration, chin laceration, VSA members assisted in the first aid of 3 of the accidents. Attention VSA needs your support and volunteerism! We need volunteers that are willing to become trained in Red Cross CPR and First Aid and posses an understanding of skatepark operation and youth culture. If you can volunteer for a 2-hour shift your help will go a long way. VSA also need flashlights, batteries, sleeping bags, space heater etc for the volunteer night watch. Please respect the park respect Murray and Doug's killer Venice PB mural on the silo. The sk8park needs YOU!