A new $3.5 million skatepark is slated to be built in San Juan Capistrano, a project that’s been in the works for several years and a wish from residents for even longer.
The 20,000-square-foot skatepark will connect to a neighboring multi-use trail and include three bowls of varying depths as well as a large street plaza that includes banks, hips, handrails, stairs and flat rails. The new park, said Mayor Sergio Fabias, could provide “an opportunity for kids to become Olympians or athletes.”
The City Council’s approval of the new skatepark earlier this month marks another significant addition to Orange County’s extensive skateboarding scene. With this decision, San Juan Capistrano becomes the 24th city in the county to incorporate a skatepark into its recreational facilities.
More than just a sport, skateboarding has become a lifestyle in Orange County. From professional tournaments and competitions to the simple joy of cruising down the sidewalk, skateboarding has firmly established itself as a cultural icon in the county.
Orange County’s skateboarding roots
The roots of skateboarding in Orange County trace back to the 1960s and ’70s, a pivotal era when the concrete bowls competed with the ocean waves.
“We were the weirdos,” said Terry Casey, a longtime local skateboarding enthusiast.
Growing up in Irvine in the ’70s and ’80s, Casey fell in love with skateboarding, initially, with just a simple wooden board made by his father. He went on to compete in tournaments around Southern California and was sponsored by Sessions Skateshop in Tustin.
When he first started skating in the early ’70s, parks were not “a thing,” Casey said. Most people who picked up the sport would skate around parking lots, drainage pipes, empty swimming pools — any place that could remotely become a decent ride.
But late into the ’70s and the start of the ’80s, skateboarding began to look a little different.
“At this point, skateboarding shifted from becoming just a trend to a bonafide sport,” said Todd Huber, director of the Skateboarding Hall of Fame.
Competitions were on the rise, specifically hosted by the International Skateboard Association from Costa Mesa. In 1976, the First Annual Southern California Skateboarding Championships was hosted at the Orange County Fairgrounds, drawing skaters from around the country, including Skateboarding Hall of Fame inductees Russ Howell and Henry Hester.
By this time, skateboarders were reaching celebrity status, appearing in commercials, shows and documentaries. And internationally renowned skateboarding brands emerged and found their home in Orange County. PS Stix, founded by Paul Schmitt, moved his then-new company to Orange County from Florida in 1985, and to this day, it is one of the biggest skateboarding manufacturers in the world, said Huber.
And then there’s Orange County’s impact on the fashion.
In 1966, Paul Van Doren and Jim Van Doren opened the first Van Doren Rubber Company in Anaheim, now famously known as just “Vans.” A pivotal staple of the skateboarding world became the classic black-and-white checkered, rubber-souled shoes.
“I still wear these shoes,” said Casey, who is now in his 60s. “I remember once being at a music gig, and in the front row, I saw a child who was wearing the black-and-white checkered Vans and had to take a picture with them. It is so amazing seeing how these are still so relevant.”
In 1991, Element, a household name in skateboarding, found its way to Orange County by Costa Mesa resident Johnny Schillereff. To this day, Element, with its headquarters now in Huntington Beach, dominates the skateboarding world through its custom board selection and its array of fashion staples, said Huber, and Schillereff is now the CEO of the USA Skateboarding National Team.
Local skate parks were the place to be, like the Concrete Wave in Anaheim and Skatopia in Buena Park. More than just a place to ride, going to parks became a social event, said Casey.
“These parks were places where we could practice our craft freely, surrounded by some of the greats,” said Casey.
One of the most well-known parks in Orange County, and one of Casey’s personal favorites, was the Big O in Orange. The Big O housed one of the most infamous skateboarding pools from 1978 until it closed in 1981. The park offered skaters a clover-shaped pool with a small keyhole, alongside a vast array of snake runs, smaller bowls and two pipes.
Local legends were born out of the Big O, including “Master of Disaster” Duane Peters, Carabeth Burnside, Ray “Bones” Rodriguez and Bob Serafin.
What we have and what is to come
After the explosion of the sport some 40 years ago, skateboarding is as popular as ever in Orange County.
“It has become a very inclusive environment,” said Casey. “The sport has integrated into a lot of different cultures now, and it was not that expansive in the ’70s. All socioeconomic backgrounds, all ethnicities — the sport is truly made for everyone.”
There’s still a plethora of skate parks in 23 cities in the county, including in Anaheim which boasts eight. But skateboarders can expect to see more parks “shredding” into Orange County in the next few years.
Construction on the newly approved skatepark in San Juan Capistrano is expected to begin in March and finish in late summer. The park will provide residents with three bowls of varying depths as well as a large street plaza that includes banks, hips, handrails, stairs and flat rails.
“It has been a long road for this community,” Councilmember Howard Hart said during the Jan. 16 meeting when the council gave its final stamp of approval on the skatepark. “This is going to be such a terrific amenity for our community.”
As part of the agreement, the city of Dana Point will pay $25,000 in maintenance costs annually “in recognition of the anticipated use by Dana Point residents,” according to a staff report. The agreement also includes the purchase and installation of security cameras, said San Juan Capistrano assistant city manager Matisse Reischl.
“This park is in the spirit of what we are supposed to do as councilmembers representing our city: to provide recreational opportunities for not only our kids but for adults as well,” said Mayor Sergio Fabias. “But for kids … this park is definitely a distraction and possibly an opportunity for kids to become Olympians or athletes.”
Plans to build a skate park at Orange’s Grijalva Park, the first city-owned park for Orange, are also moving forward. The city allotted $1.77 million to build the 11,500-square-foot skatepark is expected to be designed over the next few months.
Both parks in Orange and San Juan Capistrano are being built and designed by Grindline Skateparks, a well-known skate park construction company that has built hundreds of parks nationally, including Ponderosa Skatepark in Anaheim.
And in just a few years, Orange County could also play host to one of the biggest competitions the county has seen yet. In 2028, the Olympics will arrive in Los Angeles, and with the recent addition of skateboarding and surfing to the Summer Games, Orange County is a top contender to host the competitions.
Huntington Beach is being looked at as a potential spot for surfing and skateboarding events, as the city has hosted tournaments in both sports in years previous. City officials announced the official bid for the competitions in 2021.
Vans Off the Wall Skatepark in north Huntington Beach is one park being considered for the skateboarding event; it has hosted various BMX tournaments. The 40,000-square-foot skatepark offers various bowls, pipes, park areas and even a skate shop.
“To say I am excited for what the future holds for this sport is honestly an understatement,” said Casey. “Seeing people fall in love or fall back into love with the sport is the best. The future is bright.”
