Together, with valuable input from community members, our team of designers are excited to help shape the final all-wheel skatepark design for the City of La Mesa‘s forthcoming community hub!
Hosted by our Director of Design, Kanten Russell, the local community gathered on March 6, 2025 at the Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy in La Mesa, CA to provide input on three working design plans in person, along with the option to share feedback online via survey link. Advocating for a much needed upgrade to the current skatepark, the working design plans and community members expressed the hope for a more inclusive skatepark for all-wheel type users, a greater size of skateable terrain with modern features, and a safe space equipped with spectator areas that can be used for years to come.
Community engagement opportunities like this concept plan workshop remain invaluable to our design process. Not only do we learn about what local wheeled users value in a skatepark, but these opportunities also communicate the community culture and values which further informs us as we shape the final design.
The La Mesita Skatepark renovation project is a much anticipated one and we feel fortunate to collaborate with the La Mesa community, designing for the future!
#buildingskateboarding #buildingcommunity
Honoring a beloved middle school teacher of thirty years, the Barb Iverson Skate Plaza in Sioux Falls, SD is a 20,000 sqft state-of-the-art all-wheel park that will carry on Ms. Iverson’s legacy of advocacy, community building, and compassion for years to come.
With her heart for educating and inspiring countless individuals to celebrate personal self-expression, along with the promotion of learning and growth in safe spaces, this namesake park is a fitting addition to the greater Sioux Falls community.
We had the privilege of working alongside Let’s Skate, a local organization formerly known as the Sioux Falls Skatepark Association (SFSA) formed in 2016, whose mission is to build community through skateboarding by advocating and fundraising for the new park, offering after school programming, leading statewide community outreach and much more. Their initiative, dating back to outreach with our own Kanten Russell in 2017, paired with their incredible fundraising efforts, reflects their passion for changing the perception of skateboarding and ensured their community’s dreams of having a park came to fruition. Without them, the realization of the Barb Iverson Memorial Skatepark would not have been possible.
The last 8 years of planning and development has been a collective effort and we would like to thank the City of Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, and Let’s Skate for allowing us to play a role in this meaningful legacy project.
There is a lot to celebrate in Sioux Falls and we hope you will join us at the park’s official grand opening on July 13th, 2024.
#buildingskateboarding #buildingcommunity
A celebration is in order as Nipomo Skatepark in the City of San Luis Obispo has been awarded the 2023 Award of Excellence, Excellence in Design | Park Planning, Specialty Class 2 from the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS).
“This award recognizes excellence in design of completed park facilities intended for public use. The project may be either new construction or a rehabilitation project that demonstrates high standards of planning, design, community involvement, operation and maintenance, quality of aesthetics, usability, accessibility, and versatility.”
Boasting 20,000 sqft. of diverse terrain, Nipomo Skatepark has been incredibly well received by the local action-sport / skate community and has users flocking to it from across the region. The recognition by CPRS validates the process of community consultation, planning and design philosophy behind this highly integrated and dynamic low-barrier facility. It is a prime example of a skatepark built by the community for the community and we could not be more thrilled for their award recognition.
Congratulations to the multidisciplinary team involved in this project including our partners at Stantec Engineering.
#buildingskateboarding #buildingcommunity
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Catch the action and hear about the community centered process that lead to the development of the highly integrated and accessible Gibbel Skate Plaza in Hemet, California. The park has already elevated the level of riding in the region and became an instant destination for All Wheel users of any age.
Built for Community, by the Community.
Video production by: Jim Kappel
Featuring: Kanten Russell, TJ Rogers, James Goebel, Joe Males, Brandon Turner.
New Line Skateparks would like to welcome the newest member of the team, Andy Stone – who will be taking on the role of Director of Engineering. Along with his professional accreditation and acumen, Andy brings a strong knowledge of the civil requirements of modern integrated concrete skateparks along with the youth action sport park’s application as a keystone amenity for the community at large.
Andy’s wealth of knowledge in the field is a product of his experience both on and off the board. Coming of age in Virginia and inspired by the legendary skate scene of Washington D.C., Andy went on to spend the majority of the 90’s navigating the globe as a professional skater. Riding for some of skateboarding’s most iconic brands (101, Element, and Capital just to name a few), Andy toured as a professional skater, filmed numerous video parts, assisted in team management, art direction, along with board production and advertising. All these experiences forged the platform on which Andy would build his expertise as a Professional Engineer with a full understanding of the skate/action sport user experience.
After receiving his degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia’s George Mason University, Andy has been intimately involved the design and construction of over 50 municipal skateparks and countless public infrastructure projects over the past 20+ years. Of particular significance is his experience in infrastructure rehabilitation, LID storm Water Management and matching the civil requirements of a variety of public sector projects with the expectations of his municipal clients. Andy’s transition to New Line Skateparks will allow him to marry his passion for skateboarding and building community while contributing the creation of sustainable and accessible public recreation infrastructure.
First of all, welcome to the team Andy!
Thanks so much. I’m really excited to be here. It’s been a long time coming.
How would you summarize Andy Stone the Skateboarder versus Andy Stone the Civil engineer?
Well, I’m definitely the same dude. A lot less hair and a bit more gray as I’m approaching 50 years old this year. My style of skateboarding was technical, and engineering is pretty technical. I was always good in math in high school and as I got into engineering, the precision and logic really drew me to continue learning.
What are some of the highlights of your career as a skateboarder? We know you got the cover of Slap Magazine, are there any other memorable take aways?
Traveling to various countries and exposure to other cultures significantly different from the US was absolutely the best part of my journey. I can also say without a doubt, that my skateboard friends are friends for life. As an adult, I still have more skateboard friends than I do engineering friends. I think the other major takeaway was the personal self confidence I got from skateboarding. It was really incredible to set that goal of becoming professional, work extremely hard, and then achieve it, but it’s not much different than setting the goal of learning a trick and them achieving that goal. One of the things all skateboarders share is an appreciation for how hard it is to ride a skateboard proficiently. We can all use that self confidence and sense of accomplishment in other aspects of our personal and professional lives.
With a lot of experience on Civil Infrastructure projects, what has led you to working on skateparks?
To be honest, I did my first 3D model of a skatepark when I was still in college, probably 2003 on a very early release of AutoCAD; R12 or R13 probably. I had just taken my first technical drafting course and prepared plans, sections, and isometric views for a local ramp guy who was selling plans for people to DIY various ramps. Soon after I started doing more intricate surface models and then just kept on learning and adapting skatepark modeling as the software packages were improved.
Are there any lessons from skateboarding that have helped you in your career as a civil engineer?
I believe the most important take away from skateboarding that has helped me in my professional and personal life is self-confidence. Skateboarding is really difficult. Learning patience and perseverance to be able to achieve what you set your mind to do is one of the most important life skills anyone can have.
What is a harder career to attain, Professional Skateboarding or Civil engineering?
For me, Engineering school was far more challenging than skateboarding. Skateboarding was an expression of me as an individual. I was fortunate to not get derailed by any significant injuries while I was trying to become professional and avoided significant injury down time throughout most of my career. Engineering school is a tremendous amount of studying and college professors don’t care if you show up as long as your check clears. I had to overcome multiple failures, academic suspensions, and there were many times when I thought I didn’t have what it took to make it through. That’s when that dedication and self-confidence is most important. The ability to draw on past failures and incredible challenges, and know that with enough work, we can achieve our goals.
What are your thoughts on the future of skateboarding and skateparks compared to Skateboarding in the 90’s?
I am so excited to see where skateboarding goes. In the 90s, it was a “counter-culture” sport, and anyone who rode a skateboard (at least in my area) knew they were doing something that wasn’t considered “cool”. We banded together as outsiders, and formed bonds and friendships that transcended cultural, socio-economic, age differences, and many other differences in our backgrounds. Skateboarding is huge business now but I see those bonds remain in the younger generations. It’s amazing to see the talent of the younger skaters these days and I’m incredibly blessed to be a part of providing a safe and challenging environment for skateboarders of all ages to find friends, build self-confidence, relive old memories, and enjoy a sport that has brought me so much enjoyment and fulfilment throughout my life.
With so many amazing projects going on across North America, it is important to remember that even the small parks have a major impact! Check out the video below and allow lead designer Kanten Russell to break down the inspiration, process and rationale behind the newest skate spot in Escondido California. The stacked crew from Sk8Mafia show us what’s possible in the new space. Thank you to everyone involved in making this spot and video recap possible.
After tireless advocacy from a few local residents, the Newnan Skatepark is one step closer to coming to fruition. The final conceptual design has been released and prep has begun for construction in C. Jay Smith Park. This park is going to define “destination skatepark”.
Congratulations to local residents and advocates on this huge accomplishment. We are thankful to the City of Newnan, New South Construction and HGOR for this successful partnership. Stay tuned as we get our shovels in the ground.
Learn a little about the history and inspiration for the new Plaza and Skatepark in St. Cloud, MN from Lead Designer Kanten Russell.
Filmed and edited by Mike Thienes. Building Skateboarding, Building Community.
Another first for international skateboarding! The completion of the Banff Skatepark marks the introduction of the first integrated public concrete skatepark within a North American National Park setting.
Part of the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, Banff National Park is Canada’s largest and most renowned National Park with over 3 million visitors a year making the pilgrimage from across the globe. Recognizing the importance of the site and gravity of the unprecedented development opportunity at hand, our team embarked on an intensive 12 month design and construction process involving local skateboarders, civic officials, and planning experts from Parks Canada. Along with achieving a world-class selection of modern skatepark terrain, critical environmental stewardship, wildlife preservation, and architectural control requirements had to be addressed in a manner fitting for Banff’s unique ‘heart’, culture, and breathtaking surroundings. The result is a facility of global significance, demonstrating a thoughtful balance of compelling skateable architecture, sustainable design, and signature accents that reflect the best of Banff’s unmistakable character.
A huge THANK YOU to the dedicated City Council and Staff, Local Skaters, and Parks Canada Representatives who helped make this landmark project a reality!
One of the newest parks in the Kooteney’s, this skatepark and surrounding amenities are the result of a collaborative design process between VDZ Landscape Design and New Line Skateparks. Through the construction administration process it was essential that all finishing details stayed true to the integrity of the design perimeters. This breathtaking facility not only suits it’s rustic surroundings but will surely become a must stop for any visitor passing through the region. Grand opening is set for 2020 with details forthcoming. Let the skatepark’s senior designer take you on a guided tour!
