Animal Jam 2007
This was a good jam. I helped build the ramps with some of the Staten Dudes. It was a good time.
I love little Mikes clips.
Thanks to Yoni. for the video.
http://www.yadontunderstand.com/
New Soto Skate Park: Where's the challenge? say skateboarders and bikers
Soto Skate Park’s new look with no ramps. “This is a slap in the face,” said Stephen Quigley, 17, of Grant City, a constant presence at the skate park for the past four years. “It’s like taking tackle out of football.” (Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – MIDLAND BEACH – Young skateboard and BMX enthusiasts who previously flocked to Benjamin Soto Skate Park from all over Staten Island expressed astonishment and disappointment last week about what they see as the dumbed-down version of the borough’s only skate park. The city’s Parks Department reopened the site on June 16.
“This is terrible – there are no ramps – this place is not a skate park any more,” said Woodrow resident Matt Duffy, 14, who attends Tottenville High School and gets from his South Shore home to the Midland Beach facility via the Staten Island Railway (SIR).
Great Kills resident Chris Nazzaro, 17, a recent graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School who will enter the College of Staten Island (CSI) as a freshman, agreed. “I’ll grind the rails for a little, and then find somewhere else to go,” he said.
“The old park was fine – we had a good and decent park – all it needed was repairs,” said Joshua Ocasio, a 20-year-old engineering major at CSI who lives in Prince’s Bay. “They just tore down everything. It should not have been bulldozed. This is crap.”
The Parks Department told the Advance on Monday that “six steel and concrete benches and multiple steel rails planned for the site are now installed,” and “a low concrete platform and ramp will be installed this summer.”
In a statement, the agency explained that “ramps over three feet require safety equipment and helmets and staff to monitor,” adding that “most of the new skate parks being built have primarily ‘street elements.’
“We hope to add concrete ramps, bowls and other elements when we have funding, but we will not be adding ramps over three feet as has been discussed with the community and elected officials on previous occasions,” the agency said.
“This is a slap in the face,” said Stephen Quigley, 17, of Grant City, a constant presence at the skate park for the past four years. “It’s like taking tackle out of football.”
“It’s a disgrace that it’s come down to this, and there’s only this to show,” said a disgusted Tim Cox, 15, of Bulls Head, a BMX enthusiast who attends McKee High School and sometimes rides his bike from the West Shore to Midland Beach when he cannot catch a car ride.
‘NO VARIETY’
From left to right, skateboarders Rich Rojas of Rosebank, 18; Joshua Ocasio of Prince’s Bay, 20; and Akeim Whylie, 16, also of Rosebank. “They should add quarter-pipes, banks, and ramps,” said Rojas, who used Soto Skate Park for four years before it was shut down and demolished.Skateboarders voiced similar complaints last week, all of them upset about the lack of ramps that allowed them to ride, “get air,” and establish momentum for other tricks. “You can’t fly off any of this stuff – there’s no variety,” one of them said.
“I can’t skate transition and do ‘tranny’ tricks. It’s all rails and street stuff,” another complained.
“It’s the worst thing ever. They should take it back, and put in some real edges,” said Akeim Whylie, 16, who lives in Rosebank and attends Ft. Hamilton High School in Brooklyn. “This is like junkyard welding,” he commented, pointing to the low metal rails. “I know because my dad is a welder. I want to unbolt this stuff, and bring it home for my dad to make better.”
His friend Rich Rojas, 18 – a McKee High School student, also from Rosebank – said that the newly reopened park “is not what I was expecting. I’m a little grateful, but they should add quarter-pipes, banks, and ramps.
“They didn’t consult with us when they made this. There should be fewer rails,” added Rojas, a user of the park for the last four years.
The whole point of skate parks is the availability of infrastructure not easily – and legally – found on the streets, the young riders explained.
“Kids go pro at 14 years old,” said Quigley of Grant City. “So for those of us trying to go pro, this is wasted time that we can’t get back. This was a place to learn – the only place on Staten Island.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
“We recognize that the current ‘street elements’ may not accommodate all styles of riding, and we are working with the skateboard and BMX community to identify and advocate for either future enhancements to Ben Soto, or the complete rebuild of a new skate park at the same location,” the Parks Department said in its statement. The agency noted, however, that “there is no budget at this time” to reconstruct Soto Skate Park.
BMX bikers at Soto Skate Park — “This is a slap in the face,” said one.“We are also investigating additional skate park opportunities in Staten Island parks,” the agency added. “We are now considering the possibility of adaptively-reusing the old Safari Amusement Park site (at Arthur Kill Road and Richmond Avenue, owned by the Parks Department) as a skate park,” the agency stated, noting that “a Request for Proposal for the operation of the adjacent building facility as a Parks Concession was released on April 20, and the deadline was June 23.
Read the whole story here
http://www.silive.com/eastshore/index.ssf/2011/06/new_soto_skate_park_no_challen.html
Post I forgot to post.
I put the beautiful thumb nail photo nail to get your attention. As I see it worked so here are some BMX photos
First Mike, Roman, Lou, and I went to a Harley Davidson fund raiser for a Soldier who lost limbs. There most have been a 100 Motorcycles there.
Then we went to Jersey City to ride in a Grove Street Bike shop demo. There was live bands and Hula hoops.
Galop, Lil Jeff, And Bob Scerbo
Hula hoop
Jumping.
Galop Foot jam whip.
Lil Jeff Hop over Icepick
After the Demo we went to ride this spot here in Jersey.
Metal kizz Lou Foot jam.
Rail Hop.
Lil Mike 180 Bar over rail
Big tailwhip. lil Mike. Or should we say lil Mike did a big tailwhip?
10 Dollar Roman does a Foot jam whip for a 5 Dollar tip for a 5 Dollar slice of Pizza.
We ended the day at Bayonne skate park where Chex Mix is not allowed to ride.
OHIO APRIL 2011
Photos from trip to Ohio. Big thanks go out to Ryan’s sister Meegan and her family for letting us assholes sleep at her house.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghbnyc/sets/72157626459079514/ follow the link to check out the photos.
Ohio Photos 2
Feeble to whip off the picnic table.
Alexis renamed Shane’s dog to Buffalo Wild Wings.
Birthday Boy.
Packed out van going street riding in Cleveland.
Grim with a big ledge manual.
Alex got nasty off this big ass ledge, you’ll see it in an edit later.
Ed’s new bike.
Bumblefuck.
Alex kissing his Girl friend.
Nature hike.
Breakfast of champions.
Snoops magoops.
Eric Isaksen Photos #3
Here is the 3rd set of Eric Isaksens photos.
Eric Isaksen – Tooth
Matt Hill
Matt
AHhh I dont know what to say. Please comment on this one.
Same here.
Fish Eye
Lil Mike in 2007
Toboggan
Ed Pollio building the ramps for the Animal Jam in 2008.
NYC from the Staten Island Ferry
Gap
Stack that wood!
This is a great photo. I love the whole thing. BBQing, wall riding, and Lirking.
Bar spin?
Rob and James on the Train.
Here is a link to the 1st set
http://www.grouphomebikes.com/2011/03/eric-isaksen-photos-1/
And here is a link to the 2nd set.
http://www.grouphomebikes.com/2011/03/eric-isaksen-photos-2/
Eric Isaksen Photos #2
Here is the 2nd set of Eric Isaksen photos.
Eric Isaksen- Chocolate milk is his Favorite.
Tommy John doing his favorite trick
Steve Quigley. No footer
Anton from the top
Matt
RIP Alex Catrama
A perfect last photo.
Here is a link to the 1 set.
http://www.grouphomebikes.com/2011/03/eric-isaksen-photos-1/
Eric Isaksen Photos #1
Here are 25 photos from Eric Isaksen. He started bike riding and shooting photo’s when the Benjamin Soto skate park opened in 2005. Recently he has moved on to other things. But he gave GHB his photos for your enjoyment. He gave GHB about 75 photos. So we are going to do 3 sets of 25 or so.
Eric Isaksen- Smith on the Pier.
Rob 360
Little Mike- Bar roof gap
Little Mike- Bar Roof Gap 2
Eris Isaksen – Big Super man
Little Mike in the full face days -Truck
Forgot his name but he disappeared from BMX.
Pink Shirt lol
Andrew Paino.
Little Mike and so crazy guy
Bupsy and Shane both naked in a bed with a camera. Must I say more.
This was my Idea.
I love my hood.
Art
More Art.
Falling
Anton in a parka doing a curve wall ride.
Time flys.
2008 Animal Jam ramps.
GHB Store
@grouphomebikes on Instagram
