We chatted with skateboarders, roller skaters, and BMXers at Rochester's sweatiest hotspot.
Photos by Lauren Petracca. Interviews by David Andreatta.
GREECE, 8TH GRADE TEACHER
How long have you been skating?
“I started skating in August 2017. My daughter was riding her bike in the driveway and my in-laws had an old skateboard in their garage and I just started standing on it.”
ROCHESTER, DISHWASHER
What's with the "Thrasher" tattoo?
"I call myself 'Thrasher' because I like to thrash. I'm a big fan of Thrasher Magazine and thrasher videos."
ROCHESTER, DINOSAUR BAR-B-QUE HOST
How often are you at the skatepark?
"I come like once or twice a week. It's pretty lively, pretty friendly also. Everyone helps each other out."
WEBSTER, PLUMBER
You're here whenever you aren't working? What keeps you coming back?
"It's built right. Even in Buffalo, they build them, but not this nice. That bowl is something crazy we got."
GREECE, AUTO PARTS BUYER AND SELLER
When you say you've been skating your whole life, what do you mean?
“I mean pretty much my whole life. Instead of watching cartoons when I was a child, my dad put on skate videos for me and that would calm me down. I’d be crying watching cartoons, the second a skate video came on, I would stop.”
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, TATTOO ARTIST ASSISTANT
Michigan? What are you doing here?
"Yeah, I traveled here from Michigan. I'm on my way to New England to visit friends but I mapped out my trip to stop here for the skatepark. I had to see it."
ROCHESTER, CHARLOTTE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
What's it like dropping into that bowl?
“It’s pretty exciting. When you first try it it’s a little scary. But once you get used to it you start to mellow out and it starts to get really fun.”
GATES, FURNITURE BUILDER
How long have you wanted a skatepark like this?
“I’ve been waiting for this place for 15 years. . . . As soon as this place got built, I found my little friend group and we’ve pretty much formed into a family.”
ROCHESTER, MODEL
Where are you skating when you're not here?
"I can jam skate, street skate, park skate. I’ve skated through water before. I’ve off-roaded on my skates. My skates are so busted up my boots are coming off the frame.”
BRIGHTON, HOME INSPECTOR
How often do you come here and how would you describe it?
"I try to come here every day. It's like a family vibe. Like, I know everybody here except a couple of random people."
LUCCA SIEGEL-EDELMAN, 1
ROCHESTER, CHEF AT LOCALS ONLY
Your son looks like he's enjoying himself.
“He loves when he hears all the skateboarding happening. All the click and clack of the deck hitting the ground and the grinding on the coping of the trucks. He likes to see all the movement and stuff. It’s pretty good stimulation for him, I’d say.”
ROCHESTER, EAST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE
What's your favorite move?
"My favorite move is a heel flip. It's like a kick flip but the other way. It's harder. It's what I'm known for."
PENFIELD, RESTAURANT SERVER
How long have you been skating?
“Around nine months. I always wanted to skateboard ever since I was a little kid, but I was always very intimidated because it’s very male-dominated.”
OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, RIT STUDENT
What's your favorite move?
“I really like airing and 180-ing. It just feels timeless and you’re stuck in that motion and then you come right back down.”
EVAN PORFIRIO VASQUEZ, 26
ROCHESTER, AUDIO ENGINEER
Describe what you feel when you get on the board here.
“I worked a 12-hour shift before I came here. It’s like a kinetic meditation. My buddy Boop, he’ll take a picture when he’s at the park and post it, and be like, ‘I’m at my therapist’s office.’ That’s how I feel.”
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