By Cameron Manthe
Unfortunately nothing lasts forever, and our local Rip-On Skate Park is beginning to show its age. Skateboarding can take a toll on any object, and is often why it is frowned upon in public places and deemed as property damage. These parks take the grunt of that abuse far more than anything else.
The bowl is one of the main things starting to fall into ruin. Thankfully locals have been able to keep it alive and useable for the time being. The bottom portion of the ramps where they meet the flat ground are beginning to crack and lose chunks of concrete, creating dangerous conditions for riders using it.
Thankfully some caring locals have provided a temporary fix to this problem by using Bondo to fill in these holes and breaks. Many other areas of the park have received this same treatment to ensure the park stays safe and enjoyable.
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| DIY Repair at Rip-On Photo by Cameron Manthe |
Bondo is a type of auto body filler that is commonly used by skater to fix undesirable cracks in obstacles. Any brand of body filler will work just fine, so do not feel just limited to Bondo. It is used for its ability to fill in void areas and its durability and hardness after it is applied.
Tactics Boardshop has a wonderful tutorial on YouTube here if you're unfamiliar with the process. This treatment is more commonly seen outside of the skate parks at street spots, but it can be used just about anywhere you want to skate.
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| Another Area Repaired at Rip-On Photo by Cameron Manthe |
Seeing these types of repairs signals that the skate community in Topeka cares about the function and maintenance of their parks. It is refreshing to know just how much these parks mean to skaters for them to take matters into their own hands. While this not an absolute permanent fix, it is a step in the right direction for preserving our parks.
Sources:
Tactics Boardshop on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s3GNg5QcxA
3M Bondo
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/bondo-us/
Photos by Cameron Manthe
I wasn't aware there was such a big skating community in Topeka. It's great to see them band together to repair these parks. Hopefully the city can start on more permanent repairs soon.
ReplyDeleteIt's dope I watched a guy do this one day for like two hours
ReplyDelete