Jerusalem's skating community got a big boost recently when the municipal government approved plans for a new skate park in the city. The new complex of concrete ramps, quarter pipes, half-pipes, full-pipes, volcanoes, fun-boxes, ridges and divots is aimed at providing a much-needed public space for skateboard enthusiasts to hone their skills, but the initiative also helps to diversify activities at the city's Liberty Bell Park, which is already known for its playgrounds, fountains, basketball courts and annual temporary beach volleyball tournaments.
For Jerusalem's skating community, the park has been a long time coming. As Gili Levi, proprietor of Gili's Skateboards, a Jerusalem skater's community hub, told GoJerusalem.com in the fall of 2011, "We hope that the municipality will see the potential with this sport. It's not basketball or soccer, but we need a space as well…. We hope that the new skating park will help pique interest in skating again."
Levi feels that the city government's support of the skate park initiative is a major victory for Holy City skaters. "We went through a very long process with the municipality to get them to build a park, and we are very happy about it," he said. "There has definitely been a change since [Mayor Nir] Barkat took control. He listens to us, and we have really felt a difference."
Indeed, the mayor, who we all know has a soft spot for sports and youth, took the idea of a skate park to heart after members of the local skating community approached him to complain about the lack of skating options in the capital city. He helped push through a budget of 5 million NIS for its construction, which is set to take place throughout 2012. The skate park has been designed to meet international standards both in terms of safety and in terms of quality.
