If you live in Philadelphia, tomorrow should be a pretty good day for you because Pop’s Playground Skatepark is celebrating its grand opening at 3pm. Get out there and give the park a good breaking in!
We got to ask Steve Miller from Exit Skateshop a few questions about the park, and here’s what he had to say:
Where did the name POP’s come from?
POP’s was a lifelong neighbor of the playground and over the years he took the park under his wings and cared for it. After he passed away the neighborhood named the park after him.
How long ago did you start planning and how long has it taken to build?
This project has been in the works for 1 year exactly including meetings, design, fund raising, and construction.
How’d you guys get the spot to build on?
I was approached by a local non profit NKCDC (New Kensington Community Development Corporation) who felt like the local recreation center needed a face lift after huge budget cuts, and recent abandonment from the city. The crazy thing was how grassroots and dirty they were willing to get with us. The first 4 month’s of the project was completly illegal and under the city’s radar, but at the end of the day it starts to get hard to hide a concrete truck, wielding truck, and 15 shirtless beer gutted skateboarders… SO we were discovered by the city, and had to have a sit down. After we showed them the plans, and explained our volunteer and fundraising methods there only response was “When can you build your 2nd park!?” So we recieved the blessing and some funds and kept digging.
How would you describe the layout of the park?
The perfect little park to just have fun! We built a park for the guys that are so fed up with not having a place to go in Philly, and just relax with homies and shred.
I know it had to take a ton of work and resources, so how many people have helped out, and any specific people that deserve credit?
We have had so many amazing people helping with this project. The EXIT crew really stepped up. The master and commander and forman on the site Jessie Clayton has been unstopable! Jessie is the kind of dude that is down for anything and will do it 120% better then anyone else. I built small spots around this city with Jessie before, and I knew he was the man for the job. Since our first meeting has a devouted every single day to the park untop of working a full time job.
Anything special planned for the grand opening?
100% ear to ear smiling and shredding for all of Philadelphia.
What’s your next move? Have another project in mind?
We have a list of 10 potentinal spots for the next couple project. Raise awareness, money, and man power, and get shit done!
Anything else you’d like to add?
This project cost us $23,000, and was finished in a year… If you want to get something done DO IT YOURSELF! Keep your head up, go to community meeting, spread the word, raise awareness, and get your hands dirty, and keep pushing!
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