Turf Skatepark
Turf Skatepark (also known as "Surfin' Turf" or simply "Turf") is a former skatepark located in Greenfield, Wisconsin, less than one mile south of the city of Milwaukee[1]. It was notable for being an indoor/outdoor skateboard faculty that was opened year round, which contained five concrete pools. In fact, the Turf was one of very few skateparks with concrete pools.
History
Originally opened by Jerry Steuernagel in 1979 as Surfin' Turf near I-894 and West Loomis Road, this unique indoor skatepark consisted of in-ground concrete pools for riding skateboards. As skateboarding lost popularity, it closed in 1982 and the building was repurposed as a strip club called Bell E. Buttons, though the pools remained intact under the floor.
In 1987, the original owners of the skatepark were able to reacquire the building and reopen it for skateboarding as The Turf. At that time, it was one of only a handful of skateparks left in the U.S., and the only indoor skatepark in the country. It attracted professional and amateur skateboarders from around the world.
In 1996, as skateboarding's popularity hit another decline, it was closed for good, a decade before the mass construction of city-owned skateparks would begin. The pools were filled with gravel and covered with a concrete slab. The building then housed a cabinet company and a lawn and garden shop for nearly 15 years. Recently the building was vacated and demolished to make way for a new freeway ramp.
In 2010, former owner Jerry Steuernagel described the skatepark at its peak: "We had 10,000 members from all over the world. Every kid was a member. That's how I sold it."[2]
Concrete pools
The Turf included five sculptured concrete pools, of which included:
- Lip Slide Gully: 4 foot deep pool, with a gradual 30 foot entry
- Footie: 5 foot deep, 23 foot diameter pool with a comma roll-in, the transition was similar to most mini ramps
- Triple Pool (i.e., The Clover): 3 bowls (one 4 foot deep and two 8 foot deep) with concrete coping and ceramic tile
- Key Hole Pool: 10 foot deep, 23 foot diameter with concrete coping and ceramic tile
- Half Pipe Capsule: 11 to 13 foot deep with 1 to 3 foot vertical
Current status
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation acquired the property for use in constructing a new freeway ramp. The actual site of the concrete pools will only be used as a staging area for heavy equipment and is not slated for excavation. Work crews have filled in the pools for the safety of work crews, but the pools remain intact. Plans are for the staging area property to be turned over to the City of Greenfield after the project is completed in 2012
The Milwaukee Skateboard Association has been organized to spearhead efforts to save The Turf. They are working with the Wisconsin DOT and the City of Greenfield to make sure development efforts keep the fate of The Turf in mind. There are no specific plans for dealing with the site, but a grass roots campaign is underway by the Milwaukee Skateboard Association to gather support and funds. Tony Hawk and his Tony Hawk Foundationrecently expressed interest in becoming involved with the effort.[2][3][4]
References
- ^ City of Greenfield Street Map
- ^ a b Highway construction unearths old skateboard park - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- ^ Turf Skatepark Uncovered - Thrasher Magazine
- ^ Road construction reveals traces of old skate park called "The Turf" - "The Turf" was a mecca of skateboarding in the 1980s - Fox6now.com
External links
- Save the Turf - Official website
- Milwaukee Skateboard Association - Facebook group
- Save the Turf - Facebook group
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