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Date: 09/16/20

Title: DIY MICHIGAN

 

Photo: Evan Hutchings - WIG

 

While Michigan can hardly be considered a spot wasteland, places where skaters are actually welcome are few and far between. As public perceptions shift, and people take it upon themselves to do what no one else will, communities come together and build what cities have not, or cannot provide. We interviewed three people that have helped form the face of DIY's in Michigan.

 

  

THE WIG : Detroit // @communitypush

A Minute with Evan Hutchings (@evan_hutchings)

Community Push is a non-profit started to bridge the gap between skateboarding and the community. From 2014-2019 we built and maintained a DIY skate park called The Wig. www.communitypush.org

 

Photo: Evan Hutchings

 

What is the name of the DIY and where is/ was it located?

The DIY was located in Midtown, Detroit and was called “The Wig” short for the abandoned Wigle Recreation Center it was built on.

 

Your name and your relation to the DIY?

My name is Evan Hutchings, I helped build the park, took photos, and helped out with the non-profit.

  

Derrick Dykas (@derrrick) : First grind / Photo: Evan Hutchings

 

What was the space before it was a park?

Prior to us building the park it was an abandoned recreation center. Since it was located in near homeless shelters it attracted a lot of bad activity and people squatted there frequently. We got permission from the city to build the park in the back on the basketball and tennis courts. We made sure to leave a full court so there would be basketball again once it was cleaned up.

 

First thing that was built?

Besides cleaning the place up, we first built stuff up to the walls of the rec center, we figured it probably wouldn't be there forever so might as well utilize the walls while we can. The very first skate able object was a pole jam from the fences we took out the first day.

 

Al Mueller (@yung_axel) : Rock / Photo: Evan Hutchings

 

Biggest lesson you’ve learned in the process of building?

Make sure you know what your getting into. If building a lot and spending a lot of money make sure its not gonna be a bust and get booked two days later. Also just be patient. When using cement you have to wait to for it to dry anyway so don't rush any part of the process. It will for sure come out better if everyone is patient and pay attention to what their doing.

 

Worst or best graffiti tag on a feature?

I think my favorite was when Derrick wrote “dance with Terry”. At the time he was a midtown staple. He would be at the corner dancing like crazy trying to lose weight. He always had the craziest outfits on, and he would be outside of nice restaurants. He came to the park a few times and we got photos with him.

 

Most bizarre piece of trash that was dragged in to skate?

Some of the homies worked at a restaurant named Seva and had an old fryer that didn't work anymore. They brought it up to the park and it made a pretty cool feature. It didn't last long though because i’m sure someone stole it to scrap and get some cash. Also there was quite a few old tv’s that got dumped up there, those were fun to see what people would do with. There was even a set of rims at one point.

 

Francois D (@francoisdetroit) : Fryer Ollie / Photo: Evan Hutchings

 

Keviyan (@masterpop3000) : TV Ollie / Photo: Evan Hutchings

 

Professionally built skateparks vs. DIY’s

I think the camaraderie is better at a DIY. Professional parks are amazing but sometimes they get over crowded and people don't know skate etiquette so it gets annoying. At a DIY it’s most likely a place where the only people who know about it are people really involved in the scene, or everyone is good friends since they are probably there everyday.

 

Your favorite park feature?

Easily the “hoe check”. It is two curbs long, about eighteen inches tall and had slight transition on one side.

 

Photo: Evan Hutchings

 

Suggestions on how to prepare for a day at the DIY?

If it rained the day before bring a broom or squeegee, have sunscreen because there wasn't much shade. Be chill with locals and don't cool guy anyone. Bring beers or food. Be prepared to spend all day there.

 

How to not get permanently stuck at the DIY. Spots to hit around it.

You gotta have solid plans way before going to the DIY, if not you'll get stuck there. Its always everyone just hanging out so its easy to get trapped, and time will fly by.

 

Strangest feature proposed?

There was this disgusting couch up there that people would sleep on and got soaked with rain and who knows what. One day we lit it on fire and people skated over it. The fire department quickly got there and put it out, they told us they hoped we got some good stuff.

 

Most memorable park story?

It’s not just one story but every time I saw a kid who had just started skating land a new trick and get stoked. Thats what it was all about. We made it for that. Also meeting people like Huf, Ron Allen, Danny Brady, Tony Hawk, the list goes on…

 

Best local beverage supplier / eats?

There was a bar named Jumbos that was pretty much next door to the park. The owner was always happy with what we were doing. She let us have fundraisers, and events there whenever we wanted.

 

What is something people might not know about the DIY?

People might not know Red Bull paid for all the expenses for it to be built. Most don't know that because there wasn't logos all over it but thats how the place got started.

 

How / has the DIY affected the local skate community?

It made a giant impact on the local community. The place went from negative to positive quickly. It gave kids from the surrounding neighborhoods the opportunity to come to the park and try skateboarding. We gave them boards and helped them with tricks. We also had a lot of key people in the neighborhood on our side and people telling us we were doing great. All the noise that the place generated led to now having Detroit’s first professionally built park - Riverside, also designing a skate able path in place of where the wig was. On top of that there is a new DIY a few miles down the road that is thriving right now.

 

 

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PROSPECT PARK DIY : Ypsilanti  // @prospectparkdiy

A Minute with Steve Risner (@beardedcheetah)

 

Steve Risner (@beardedcheetah) : Backside tailslide / Photo: Eddie Liddy

What is the name of the DIY and where is it located? 
Prospect Park DIY. Ypsilanti, MI.

 

Your name and your relation to the DIY?
Steve Risner / Prospect is my child.

What was the space before it was a park?
Roller hockey / tennis.

 

First thing that was built?
2 butter benches chained up to the fence.

Best feature to take a nap under?
Prolly should just go home.

Biggest lesson you’ve learned in the process of building?
You can never have enough support.

Worst or best graffiti tag on a feature?
Someone painted broken bones on the spine ramp. Good job. Just a bad omen.

Alex Knox : Hardflip / Photo: Eddie Liddy

Your favorite park feature?
The manny pad with ledge  and 4 foot steep 1/4.

Suggestions on how to prepare for a day at the DIY?
Reusable water bottle. Weed. Dewalt radio.

Professionally built skateparks vs. DIY’s...
DIY.

 

Most bizarre piece of trash that was dragged in to skate?

Giant stuffed penguin covered in sketchy stains.

 

Garrett Blair (@carrotdenton) : Backside tailslide / Photo: Eddie Liddy

What is something people might not know about the DIY? 
The place is magical. You would just have to pull up and find out.

How to not get permanently stuck at the DIY / Spots to hit around it.
Build more shit in the streets. 

Strangest feature proposed?
Stairs.

 

Steve Risner (@beardedcheetah) : Ollie North / Photo: Eddie Liddy

Most memorable park story?
Watching yeek fight a basketball team.

 

Best local beverage supplier / eats?
Hyperion coffee and Chef Restaraunt.

 

Future plans for the DIY? 

Keep it clean and next year will most likely be the last big pour.

 

How / has the DIY affected the local skate community?

We turned Ypsilanti into a destination.

 

 

- END -

 

 

DIY CLEMENTE  : Grand Rapids // @diyclemente

A Minute with Chris Gray (@gray_tones)

 

Andrew Wilson (@4ndrewwilson) : Ollie / Photo: Chris Gray

 

What is the name of the DIY and where is it located?

DIY Clemente, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

Your name and your relation to the DIY?

Chris Gray, park founder and non profit chair.

 

What was the space before it was a park?

Abandoned tennis courts filled with broken glass.

 

First ramps on the site. Photo: Chris Gray

 

Best feature to take a nap under?

There’s plenty of spacious cover to crawl under, but you’ll likely be sleeping on piles of trash and dried piss.

 

What is something people might not know about the DIY? 

We cleared trash from the woods for fill including two TV’s and a Barbie.

 

Nelson Solivan : Ollie / Photo: Blake Jablonski (@blakejablonski)

 

Biggest lesson you’ve learned in the process of building?

There’s no such thing as too many people / build it right the first time.

 

Worst or best graffiti tag on a feature?

My favorite was a stencil of Roberto Clemente with a Puerto Rican flag across the spine. Too many bad ones to list. Always hated the Steve-O tag, even though it made me endearingly miss the Jackass days of my life.

 

A clown at the Clemente Games.  Photo: Chris Gray

 

Most bizarre piece of trash that was dragged in to skate?

A McDonald’s plastic shoe storage bin that was actually a decent little wallie jam.

 

Your favorite park feature?

The entire long bank filled with walls, ledges, and rails.

 

A vast stretch of beautifully banked landscape. Photo: Chris Gray

 

Most memorable park story?

The entire “Clemente Games” that we hosted as a mock skateboard olympics event. Some events included “Longest Board Toss”, “The 1K Mongo Push Race,”  and “ Best Trick Ledge Curling,” which involved someone overwaxing the ledge in front of you before you attempt a trick on two ledges.

 

Nelson Solivan jamming during the pole vault event of the Clemente Games / Photo: Chris Gray

 

Suggestions on how to prepare for a day at the DIY?

Bring your board and some friends. If you don’t have friends, show up and make some. 6’r of beer never hurts.

 

Professionally built skateparks vs. DIY’s

DIY is the best imitation of the street in a park setting. It’s unpolished, raw, and real in a way that is like a having a home with age and character versus living in a burb box.

 

Braydon Kavanaugh - Tailslide / Photo: Blake Jablonski

 

How to not get permanently stuck at the DIY. Spots to hit around it.

Depending on how much you value your skin, you can bomb the local SF hill replica on Martha, or just push a mile and you’re downtown.

 

First thing that was built?

A shitty box was the first. Then everything shifted to concrete when Braydon and Fausto built the volcano constructed around the form of a huge log pulled from the woods.

 

Josh Higginson - Smith Grind / Photo: Blake Jablonski

 

Future plans for the DIY? 

Two more large pours to finish. Also currently planning with the city for a skate path that would connect the park to the bathrooms and shade.

 

Strangest feature proposed?

5 flat 12 with a permanent GoPro installed at the bottom. Thanks to Teddy Seeley for his creative vision.

 

Trevor Modzeleski (@mazdajetski) : Layback front board / Photo: Chris Gray

 

How / has the DIY affected the local skate community?

It gives locals a chance to build what they don’t have, exactly how they want. It also gave Grand Rapids it’s first park and got the neighborhood kids on skateboards.

 

A Premier sponsored game of skate from the early years. Photo : Chris Gray

 

A final thanks to Josh Higginson for encouraging me and for connecting us to all the right friends and people to make this park happen. You were always an advocate of all things skateboarding, and without you, I would not know skateboarding in the intimate way that I do, nor would this park have become what it was without you. Rest in peace. Thanks to everyone that makes skateboarding happen, especially those that take it upon themselves to make it. 

 

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