8 June 12–18, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents and Recreation director John Jenkins says there’s a new fervor within the department and credits Haley for being the trigger. “Skateboarders, they’ve done a good job over the last two years educating folks why skate parks are needed,” Jenkins said. “I think the council and the board, myself in- cluded, have all been like, we’ve got to fast- track this, and that’s why.” As for the delay, Jenkins said that before Haley, there simply wasn’t anyone refram- ing skate culture. “I don’t think people are against skate- parks,” Jenkins said. “Doctor Haley ex- plained to me, when [people] see skaters, they normally see them [in] places where they shouldn’t be. But when they have places that are built for them, folks wouldn’t have a [poor] perception because they’re in places where they need to be. That made a lot of sense.” Aside from using the city as their play- ground, there’s a deeply ingrained tie be- tween skating and drugs, it’s a truth neither Haley nor West attempts to deny. “Some of the questions that came up [in planning] is do skate parks bring more crime or not?” West said. “What came out of the meeting from staff and from some of the ad- vocates who’ve been involved for years is that if they are properly lit and if they are main- tained, then no, they don’t. There will proba- bly be one or two people now and then who are smoking pot behind the ramp. But you also will have a lot of families with kids out there and just normal kids, other kids who are not getting into any trouble.” West argues that crime at skate parks is no higher than crime at any other type of park. Haley approaches the argument from a different angle, claiming that skaters likely don’t use drugs any more or less than any other athlete. “My experience is, I know plenty of more traditional team sport athletes that have substance abuse problems,” he said. “It’s just the way the skate park is. It’s out in the open. So I don’t think that there’s any increased incidence of substance use at a skate park compared to other teen groups. The rest is just done behind closed doors.” The general consensus is that the cons, few and far between and the result of stereo- typing, do not outweigh the numerous pros. Revolutionary Rollers F or the city’s skaters who don’t have government ties and connections to park and rec, it still feels like the city, and North Texas in general, is firm in its us vs. them approach. “I’ve been in DFW skateboarding for like my whole life to varying degrees at different times,” said 25-year-old Clay Hadley, who grew up skating in and around Dallas. “The prevalence of conservatism in DFW pre- vents [skating] from being so pervasive.” Hadley, tired of the sequestering of skaters to the farthest parts of the suburbs and a practitioner of the “if you want it done right, do it yourself” methodology, built a since-de- molished DIY skatepark, Deereside, outside city limits using a few spare bags of concrete, a couple of beers and the assistance of a group of friends. Disappointed with the conditions and low number of skateparks, what started as a summer project between friends quickly evolved into a safe space for young local skat- ers in the know. He argues that though the city approach to parks is beneficial for young kids, the les- son from DIY parks is that inclusivity can be even more important for people in their most formative years. “I think [skateparks] do, in some commu- nities, provide a safe space for people of tra- ditionally marginalized spaces,” he said. “I think that’s becoming more prevalent now, for me, that safety is mental safety, emo- tional safety, physical safety. It’s safety as an umbrella term.” The college-age defiers behind Deereside aren’t the only people to have built their own skatepark. For decades, it’s been a subcultural movement emblematic of the rebellious na- ture that is integral to skate culture. They usually begin with neglected city infrastruc- ture, like drainage ditches, that skaters slowly build on top of. Dallas used to be sprinkled with them, but now there’s only one prolific DIY located under an overpass off Harry Hines Boulevard and a few built on the backs of private properties. Usually, the makeshift parks have a two- or three-year lifespan be- fore cities tear them down, or so is the case in Dallas, but other cities have stepped in to des- ignate DIYs as official skateparks, protecting them from demolition. EZ7, a graffiti-covered drainage ditch, started as a steep concrete spot for Houston skaters to test their guts in the ’80s and be- came the premier South Texas destination for experienced skaters to challenge them- selves. The spot became so well-known that in 2005, the city of Houston made it an offi- cial skate park and even added rails. Now, EZ7 is a skater’s tourist attraction and the destination for the annual Turkey Jam, a Thanksgiving weekend skate show and competition, for over 40 years. South Dallas has one of the most elabo- rate DIY skateparks in the state: 4DWN. It was built by two local pros, Mike Crum and Rob Cahill, and is sponsored by Dickies, so it has a bit of a larger budget than the average skatepark built without city backing. Em- ploying the ethos of skate culture to give back to the community, 4DWN operates as a nonprofit and runs a food pantry next to its half-pipe.But the burden of skatepark con- struction shouldn’t lie on rebellious skaters and do-gooders, and the city still needs to step up, Hadley said. Dallas suburbs are home to massive and well-equipped skateparks in Arlington, Grand Prairie, Garland, Plano and Frisco. Even council member West drives outside the city limits to take his children to some of the best skateparks. “Dallas’ biggest issue, to me, is an avoid- ance to place skateboarding in its more visi- ble and high traffic spaces,” Hadley said. “Placement is important and intentional. It tells skateboarders that they’re worth some- thing to the city and deserving of a future in the public landscape. I think now, though, with other cities really taking the challenge to create spaces for skateboarders head-on, Dallas’ failure is showing.” The Simple Solution T he sound of four wheels running over the gaps on slim sidewalks beats out an unmistakable rhythm. The screeching sound of skateboard trucks cry- ing as they scrape against staircase rails vi- olates eardrums. The violent boom of a skater falling back to earth after a momen- tary flight reverberates off concrete. Skat- ers in the city make their presence known and undeniable, and until they’re given dedicated spaces, it will remain so. But skaters in Dallas have new champi- ons, fighting the good fight to reframe skate culture in a new light. Slowly but surely, more of the city will embrace skateparks as community building blocks, and though the city remains behind, and will for many years to come, the construction of new parks continues. “[We’re] getting that message out, dis- pelling older stereotypes,” said Haley. “I understand that there’s a lot of important things in a large city that need funding. But at the same time, I think based not only on the needs inventory but also on the positive benefits we know that these parks give to our citizens, that it should be a priority in a city that’s behind on the number of skate parks.” ▼ PRIDE MONTH NO PRIDE, JUST SHAME PROTEST FOLLOWS DENTON MAYOR’S REFUSAL TO OFFER OFFICIAL PRIDE PROCLAMATION. BY BETHANY WESTON A rally in Denton originally meant to celebrate the city’s LGBTQ+ com- munity became an act of protest last week when Denton Mayor Gerard Hud- speth declined the opportunity to make the city’s Pride proclamation. The declaration would have officially recognized the month of June as Pride Month in Denton. “The Mayor has not communicated any reasoning for the denial, despite repeated outreach,” according to a press release from PRIDENTON, the organization behind many of Denton’s official Pride Month events. In response to this denial, around 150 people gathered outside Denton City Hall on June 3. Many attendees were local busi- ness owners, voters, college students and residents. Four of Denton’s City Council members were present — Vicki Byrd, Bran- don Chase McGee, Paul Metzler and Brian Beck stood near the front of the crowd, sig- naling their support for the rally and “Peo- ple’s Proclamation,” which took the place of the official declaration. Rally speakers detailed the events leading up to Hudspeth’s refusal. They reminded the community that despite his refusal to give the proclamation this year, he gave a nearly identical proclamation in 2022. Speakers said such a proclamation would have been a minimal action to indicate sup- port for Denton’s queer community. PRI- DENTON’S press release says official remarks serve as “critical symbols of inclu- sion and affirmation” for LGBTQ+ Texans, stating, “Our community needs visible and vocal support from our elected leaders and we deserve nothing less.” Despite the mayor’s decision, the mood at the rally was still positive. Many there wore bright colors, waved rainbow flags and carried signs with messages such as “Trans Texans Deserve to Exist.” Attendees also voiced their grievances. “This rally has now become the people’s proclamation. We cannot be discarded,” said James Jackson, a PRIDENTON board mem- ber. “We are here to stay.” Since Hudpseth would not read the proc- lamation during the City Council meeting, Jackson read the proclamation to the crowd. The decree referenced Denton’s non-dis- crimination ordinance, which was passed in March 2022, as well as the number of anti- trans bills that were proposed during Texas’ just-adjourned 89th legislative session. The statement concluded, “I, the LGBTQIA2S+ community of the city of Denton, Texas, do hereby declare and proclaim the month of June 2025 as Denton’s LGBTQIA2S+ Pride month.” The closing line was met with cheers from the crowd. Following Jackson’s reading, local activ- ists Deborah Armintor and Carmen Cruz gave brief speeches. Armintor, a former Denton council member, referred to the offi- cial Pride proclamation as a “lowest bar ges- ture” that Hudspeth could have made to Andrew Sherman Young skaters Ben Brooks, Coen Munchrath, Ford Brooks, Augie Babb, and Hawk Doe learn tricks at the Oak Cliff Skate Park community event. Unfair Park from p6
