I interviewed more skaters at New Bird to learn about the site and brainstorm possible themes for the interactive installation. Here is a selection of quotes from my interviews:
– [On the park] “We know it might be gone tomorrow.”
[Place] Context of gentrification of urban areas used by the arts/ potential cuts to arts funding in the current political climate
– [Location] New Bird is in a central location in Liverpool (it is in a “better area” than the other new parks being built in the city
– [When skating] “You don’t plan a route, you just react.”
– [Instinct/ Automatic] “You skate best when you don’t think about it… but you need to practice a trick a thousand times before you get it”
– [How to] “Each person does his own thing/ there is no right way to skate” (…but no one skates goofy)
– [DIY Ethos] “You want to do something, you do it, but it requires collective action…” The ramps with cracks in them are less successful because one guy decided to do it himself
– [On authority/oversight] past problems with the council, some issues have been smoothed over
– [Effort] “DIY skateparks are harder to skate because the are irregular but they have more character” –> “The unpredictability is what makes them great!”
– Building the park increased everyone’s construction skills (with cement, etc.), some DIY participants were later hired by existing companies to design and build skateparks
– Local contractors donated rubble and other brands (Redbull) have supported build efforts by donating cement
-[On Switch Stance] “The best times to paint is over three weeks in the summer when it’s incredibly hot & doesn’t rain.”
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