The UN Skate Plaza in San Francisco's Civic Center is slated for a significant expansion, with new features designed to accommodate young and beginner skaters better. Officials from the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, in partnership with The Skatepark Project (TSP) and Converse, announced this initiative, which promises to add a fresh 2,100 square feet of skateable surface peppered with skateable geometric art installations courtesy of Olympic skateboarder and architect Alexis Sablone. According to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, the construction is already underway and should be wrapped up by mid-February.
Designed to be inclusive for all skill levels, the expansion includes three stunning, skateable sculptures by Sablone, who, besides being a Converse CONs skate rider, is a trained MIT architect. In a blend of functionality and creativity, these pieces aim to spruce up the space and serve as practical elements for the skating community to engage with. With the groundwork to potentially turn the plaza into a pink elephant of skaters' paradise already laid out, the updates are set to be inaugurated during the Skate UN Plaza kickoff event, planned for February 15, from noon to 3 p.m. In partnership with organizations like Skate Like a Girl, this action-packed gathering will show off the new digs and offer everything from live demos by the Converse CONS skate team to trick competitions.
"Our public spaces are part of what makes San Francisco great, and improving them will be central to our comeback," said Mayor Daniel Lurie, as per the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. He thanked the Skatepark Project and Converse for contributing to the city's revival efforts and making UN Skate Plaza more welcoming. Backing Mayor Lurie's sentiments, SF Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg emphasized the role of the Skate Plaza as a national model for creative spaces that bring people together, suggesting that these additions are more than just concrete.
