Jake's Skate Park Set To Be a Baltimore Stunner

Artist's rendering of Jake's Skatepark at the former Rash Field courtesy of Waterfront Partnership Baltimore.

What used to be a seldom-used stadium style area known as Joseph H. Rash Memorial Park, the section called "Rash Field" is now being reimagined as a modern skate park for Baltimore area skateboarders. The six-acre public park originally opened in 1976 as one of the areas within the city limits to enjoy greenspace and is located near the city's waterfront, an excellent draw for inner harbor tourists and shoppers.

Thanks to a fantastic reimagining and update, the entire park is getting a facelift, but perhaps the most ambitious and "edgy" is the addition of a swirling, curvy concrete skatepark that will surely attract not just those on wheels, but those who watch.

Once upon a time, skate boards were a 1970s era trend, or perhaps conjure up a throwback imagining to Michael J. Fox in "Back to the Future" as a common mode of transportation, but that image is long gone. Now, skating is both an art and a competitive sport.

The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore is paying attention to this rise in popularity, and bringing a gorgeous feature to Baltimore's highly visited waterfront area with the new addition. At other skate parks in the country, it's not uncommon to see amazing feats of skating prowess daily taking place, as well as more talented and experienced skaters teaching newer skaters the tricks of the sport.

To help fund the project, expected to cost $16.8 million in its first phase of construction, the Waterfront Partnership is auctioning off more than 60 skatedecks – skateboards without the wheels. All the proceeds will support construction of Jake’s Skate Park.

Helping in the fundraising effort, filmmaker John Waters autographed one of the skate decks, and skateboarding pro Joey Jett contributed three, along with a selection of hand-screened jackets and hoodies that are included in the auction. Students from two area schools, Mother Seton Academy and Thomas Johnson Elementary School made donations to the cause as well, showing a true community effort to launch the park on the Inner Harbor's South Shore.

The city first undertook a plan to redesign Rash Park in 2013 when they announced a master plan for the rejuvenation of the Inner Harbor. An essential part of that plan was the redesign of the purpose of Rash Park and how the space could be utilized.

Also slated as part of the park rejuvenation are two playground areas, one of which is a nature park and the other dubbed an "adventure park," with climbable features overlooking the harbor. In keeping with more environmentally friendly theming, there will be a shade lawn for relaxing in Baltimore's hot summers as well. Residents and visitors alike are already enjoying what locals call "the beach," a sand volleyball court which overlooks the Skate Park under construction.

The big highlight, though, remains the coming attraction of wheeled participants on the concrete dips and ramps which are sure to attract stunts and show-offs as well as newcomers. While skateboard parks in the past have been only loosely organized, the trend today is that communities have to be organized for better and safer practices within the sport. Along with decorated skateboards, it's more common to see helmet-wearers and knee and elbow pads, all decked out to create an overall look, rather than the careless approach many skaters took in the past. That contributes to the installation of community skate parks like this one. More kids and youngsters are getting involved since it seems like less of an "edge" sport with more safety involved. Helmets now have stickers, logos, and branding - even at the professional level.

Progress on Jake's Skate Park is moving quickly, and Baltimore hopes to have skaters doing heelflips, wallrides, and nollies in no time.

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