The Courts 2.0, a rebuilt skate facility on the Portland State University campus, opens to the public Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2033 SW Fourth Ave. The event runs from noon until late and welcomes skaters and non-skaters to a space with ramps, art installations and a dedicated gathering area.
The project’s roots are in March 2020, when skaters converted forgotten tennis courts at SW Broadway and SW College Street into a do-it-yourself skate spot during COVID-19 shutdowns, according to Portland State University. Skaters brought ramps and built out the space, working alongside university officials and community partners to keep it running, as reported by KOIN. The original site closed to make way for a new university art building. The seed report dates the closure to 2023, while a separate KPTV account places it in 2024; neither resolves the discrepancy.
From a Scrappy DIY Spot to a Permanent Fixture
Skaters for Portland Skateparks worked to secure a replacement, eventually reaching an agreement for a professionally engineered facility. The new site is a nearby lot slated for development in 10 to 15 years, so future construction might eventually require another move, according to KOIN.
A $300,000 Community Livability grant from Prosper Portland is helping cover the rebuild’s cost; Willamette Week reported the same grant amount. The project is funded by the grant, backed by Portland State University and facilitated by Skaters for Portland Skateparks, according to the group’s project page. Walker Macy handled design and Grindline Skateparks construction. Skaters also contributed to the build, handling site engineering, pouring the concrete and asphalt slab, and constructing the DIY obstacles, according to Skaters for Portland Skateparks.
Built for Five-Year-Olds and 50-Year-Olds Alike
Organizers describe The Courts 2.0 as the first project of its kind integrated directly into a university campus. The design accommodates beginners and experienced skaters, with features that can also serve as places to sit and socialize. KOIN reported that Skaters for Portland Skateparks board member Nick Pelster said, “We have something for everyone,” and described the project as welcoming professional skaters, learners as young as five and skaters aged 50.
The space is also intended for people who want to socialize, paint murals, play music or talk without skateboarding, Pelster told KOIN. Organizers describe a design meant to evolve with its users. Portland State’s materials describe the original site as having a “gritty DIY” identity.
Part of a Broader Portland Skatepark Push
The Courts 2.0 isn't happening in isolation. Portland is pouring resources into skate infrastructure citywide, including a proposed $15 million facility under the Steel Bridge that, per The Headlight, isn't expected to open until fall 2029. Across town, Creston Park is on track to become Portland Parks & Recreation's first covered skatepark, replacing another community-built tennis-court skate spot with a planned 15,000-square-foot facility that includes 10,000 square feet of covered, lighted space, according to Action Park Alliance. That $5 million overhaul, a figure reported by Your Oregon News, pairs new skate terrain with path and site improvements around the park's pool.
Portland’s Skatepark History and Investment
Skaters began building Burnside Skatepark under the west side of the Burnside Bridge. Burnside Skatepark was initially built illegally. For the separate Steel Bridge skatepark project in Old Town, Portland Parks & Recreation said Commissioner Dan Ryan designated $15 million in System Development Charges to fully fund the project.
The tennis-court-to-skatepark pipeline isn't unique to Portland, either — Skateboarding magazine has described the trend of reclaiming unused tennis courts for skating as a phenomenon that has taken root in cities across the Northwest. For now, though, the attention is on PSU's campus, where the open house running noon until late Saturday is open to everyone, skater or not.
