London’s First Skate Cradle – Victoria Skatepark
Victoria Skatepark is home to London’s first concrete Skate Cradle. Only the second to be built in the UK it’s a nice side-effect of being located near the 2012 Olympic Park. A new world class facility that officially opened on February 13th and followed the unofficial ‘opening in the fence’ back in October.
At he official event, BMX rider Simon, spent the afternoon defying gravity and any hope of an insurance policy with double summersaults and aerial stunts that the vertical bowl of the cradle permits. Simon, who runs a Saturday BMX course at Mile End Stadium described the skatepark as; “The best things that has happened to me this year… it’s awesome. I can’t believe it.”
The 2012 Olympics has generated a spending spree around London’s East End. Every day new buildings and shops appear along with the waft of fresh paint and the farty-smell of Estate Agents lying, desperate to force homeowners to rent out their properties at inflated prices. Victoria Park’s skate park was built by Wheelscape who describe their current, Henry Moore-esque creation, as a “milestone”.
Henry Moore was instrumental in introducing a particular form of modernism to the UK with the polished smooth surfaces and hollow spaces of his semi-abstract sculptures, said to represent the hills of his birthplace in Yorkshire; now at home beneath the wheels-of-youth in Victoria Park.
It’s unfortunate that the UK’s first Skate Cradle in Hastings, also built by Wheelscape, recently had its name tarnished by Lenny Henry’s pantomime From the Cradle to the Rave on show in Hastings. According to rumours, during a recent performance, someone in the crowd was heard to be laughing although no one admitted to the crime despite a reward being offered by the management. The footage below is of the White Rock Skate Park in Hastings. The park opened 2010 to coincide with the Boyley Jam, which is held each year to honour the memory the late BMX rider Richard Ball.
Just out of the cradle… through a hole in the fence… Victoria Skatepark Vintage…
Direction to Victoria Skate Park:
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Where is Victoria Skate ParK?
Looking at the map, in the bigger section of the park, situated between the two ponds is Victoria Skatepark – 360 Victoria Park Road, London, London E9 7BT
