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Opening day at Renton Skate Park, April 24, 2001; Spirit of Washington Dinner Train in the background. Photo by Randy Corman
Photo from this Sunday’s 25th birthday celebration; Cynthia Burns was and is on Parks Commission and I was on City Council when we authorized and funded Renton Skate Park in the late 1990s.
On Sunday the City of Renton and Gravity Sports hosted a 25th birthday celebration for Renton Skate Park. It was a great skate party with a band and perfect weather, and I caught up with some old friends.
I vividly remember the opening of the skate park in 2001. We located it at the site of the former Henry Moses Pool after determining we would build the new Henry Moses Aquatic Center on the other side of the freeway. Residents had petitioned the Council to build a skate park, and I thought is was a great idea. In time, all of Renton’s officials were on board, and we created one of the best skate parks in the Northwest at that time. In 2000, when I was Council President, we held workshops using clay modeling to enlist public involvement in the design (see the document at the end of the photos). The Skate Park has received steady use ever since.
Residents are asking Council to consider expanding it and potentially building a second park in a covered area under the freeway, and I think these are great ideas.
I posted a few pictures from Sunday’s Skate Park birthday party, and some fun never-before-seen historic photos of the opening of the Skate Park
Sunday’s celebration with my wife Cathy, and Jennifer Spencer and MaryJane (MJ) Van Cleave from Renton’s Parks and Community Services
Seattle Rock/Metal band Option B provided live music for Sunday’s 25th birthday celebration
People watching skaters at the park on Sunday
Skaters at the Renton Skate Park at the 25th anniversary celebration
Reconnecting with one of the skaters who testified before Council 25 years ago, asking us to build a skate park
Pictures from opening day of Renton Skate Park, April 24, 2001:
Parks Commission member Marge Richter and her husband Willie, on opening day of the skate park
Four of my five kids; all of them enjoyed skating
Renton Community Services Administrator Jim Shepherd gives a warm welcome and describes the creation of the Skate Park, at the park’s grand opening on April 24, 2001. Photo by Cathy Corman
I’m in the far left of this photo, with Councilmembers Don Persson, King Parker and Toni Nelson
Four Renton Councilmembers are in the center of this photo; right to left Dan Clawson, Don Persson, King Parker, and me, Randy Corman
Advanced skaters performed for the crowd
Councilmembers King Parker, Dan Clawson, and Don Persson. Don is speaking with Chief Administrative Officer Jay Covington. My wife Cathy and daughter Katie are on right, with son Danny near the bottom of the photo.
Councilmembers Don Persson, Toni Nelson, and King Parker
Council Members Kathy Keolker-Wheeler and Dan Clawson. Ken and Nancy Hoben, long-time Renton boosters, are standing behind them.
I was Council President in 2000, when we enlisted the public’s assistance in designing our new skate park. The last line of these minutes reference a workshop to design the park.
Nice place. If you’re a noob, the people there are really kind. Definitely wear a helmet and get some pads if it’s your first time.
I hope the city continues to support the skate park. Nice to see the Spirit of Washington dinner train in the background. I miss having that, it was such a nice asset to our city. I had friends in Bellingham that would come down to Renton and spend money at local businesses before relaxing for the evening on the dinner train. They don’t have another business draw to the area now. Such a loss. Thanks for the historical photos.
We have five weed shops, 16 rub and tug massage parlors, a strip club and at least three crack houses. Tell them to come on back!
You forgot the pawn shops and payday loan scammers. With businesses like this, the Chamber of Commerce brochure practically writes itself.
Stop being negative. We have 218 unhoused people from Seattle who are enriching the downtown, and soon we’ll have 21 sportball fields in our school district.
We’ve gone from Dinner Train to Garbage Train!
So very true. What happened to being “Ahead of the Curve??”
Just loaded up on food from my EBT card. Loaded up on soda pop just in case the feds block sugar drinks. Thanks all. Keep working.
Yes queen! We support you. Get them bennies and make it rain.
Trump gonna make you pay for yer sodies. You’ll still get your chicken tendies.
Any of you Good boys and Good grls eat all your tendies, you’re going to get a Temu 20% off coupon!
You seem like the type of dude to boil hotdogs
The fireworks are coming.
Randy, do you know if the city has set up any kind of quiet, safe location for people who need to get away from the noise and chaos?
I’m thinking about veterans with PTSD, former POWs, seniors, people with sensory issues, and families with animals who are terrified by fireworks. Dogs and cats obviously suffer through this, but even pet snakes and other animals can be badly stressed by the noise and vibration.
Maybe the senior center could work? It’s closed right now, so it might be a perfect place to create a temporary quiet room or safe space during the worst of it.
Here’s what I’ve done: I gathered two white pillows and labeled them with a Sharpie. One says “Safe.” The other says “Space.”
Whenever the fireworks start, I put one pillow on each side of my head and gently sandwich myself between them.
The real benefit is portability. My pillow safe space can go anywhere. I can use it at home, in the car, while eating at McDonald’s, or even at Denny’s when I’m feeling fancy.
Heh… good news. Carmen got canned from Seattle U. Well, in corporate speak… “We won’t be renewing your contract… blah blah blah”
Oh no. That’s terrible.
Woo!
I have never wished for someone to lose their job, but I have read some news with great pleasure.
Pray for her wife. Carmen now has more time for more DV shenanigans.
Was it just a little bit of DV on three people, right? That’s okay nowadays if you’re from a protected class.
people immediately turn it into a public humiliation ritual. The comments about her wife are the same tired cis-heteronormative resentment dressed up as concern. LGBTQIA+ people are not required to accept job-loss celebrations as “just politics.” This pile-on is about cruelty, not justice.
Renton 2K was better. Shure you can get a shawarma now, but you have armed security roving stores just to keep people from bring horrible.
You need more enrichment.
South aking County already has enough doctors and scholars. Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.
South A King County. Ok Mario.