OUTDOORS
Modern Skate Park - Novi
January19th, 2006
The Modern Skate Park in Novi, formerly Vans Skate park is 50,000 square feet of pure skateboard gnarliness.
In 2005, Vans closed the majority of their skateparks throughout the U.S. leaving many area skaters up in arms that this skate mecca was about to become extinct. Enter our savior George, the owner of the legendary Modern Skate and Surf. As the Michigan skateboarding community was learning to accept the pending demise of arguably the best park in Michigan, Modern came along and saved the day.

Located in the Novi Fountain Walk, Modern offers something for every type of skater. An indoor kidney shaped bowl, complete with full pool coping. A competition caliber vert ramp, a 6 foot + mini ramp with an extension and the newest creation, a 32 foot wide, 3 ½ foot tall mini ramp. All the ramps have perfect, fast layers. In addition to the bowl and halfpipes, there is also a large street skate area with ledges, rails, boxes, various quarterpipes and wedge ramps. All of this under one roof! The park can sometimes seem like a daycare of kids, but for those parents that like to stay on the premises while their child is attempting to commit suicide via skateboard, there is also a parent’s lounge complete with WI-FI access.

In recent years, with the emergence of this park and many other area parks, countless  70’s, 80’s and 90’s era skateboarders have come out of “retirement” to reclaim what they helped build long ago. Spearheaded by groups like the Old School Board Riders Society (OSBRS) (see www.osbrs.com) and LocalChaos ‘zine. (see www.localchaos.org) it is not at all uncommon to see the older set skating right along with the new generation. So if you are old and crusty, and long hours of playing Tony Hawk video games is leaving you with sore thumbs, you now have no excuse, get off the couch and join us. Modern Skatepark even sets aside Wednesday nights 9:30 - Midnight as “Fossil Night”, 20 and up and half price ($7)

For more information on Modern Novi and the sister park Modern Grand Rapids check out www.modernskate.com 

Jeffrey Russell Scroggs

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