THAT D.I.Y. SPIRIT IS IN US

Having been a skateboarder here in Birmingham, Alabama for over 25 years now, it is ingrained in my being to "Make Skateboarding Happen" forever and always.   Sure the roads are rough, the weather is harsh, there are cracks in the sidewalks, curbs at the top of all gaps, and of course no Skateparks;  but I am and always have been one to make it happen for my own enjoyment.  Wax a curb, Build a ramp, cut off a kink, Bondo a crack, Light up a spot, Sledge Hammer a curb, Concrete a quarterpipe, throw a skatejam, and even write about it!  There are many more like me and there have always been here in Birmingham.   This post goes out to everyone that does "Something" for skateboarding!

We have built many "Slab spots" here in Birmingham, due to the lack of a skatepark or even a sanctioned skate spot.   We figure if they wont help us out... we will just hijack an old abandoned lot and get to building.   

Seems like an article like this comes out every time we build a new Slab Spot.   The media, the neighbors, the parents, the photo enthusiasts, the passerbys, the local business owners, even the police and the city council men and women are always really impressed by the popularity of the Slabs.  But for whatever reason, they always get shut down.   

Below is an article written about our Slab spot at the Ghetto Banks.  For about 2 years the Southtown projects were under reconstruction and vacant.  This was a perfect setting for a new skatespot!  We spent countless hours and dollars building wooden quarterpipes, ramps, and even a full size pyramid to accompany the already amazing skatespot (the ghetto banks).  This spot lasted from about 1996 til about 1998 maybe...   

Joe Kolodziej was an o.g. member of the Faith Shop team... nicknamed "Joe the Show"

     

    Once you have a pretty decent DIY slab spot, it gotta be time to throw a SKATE JAM and celebrate!    Big thanks to Rad Ron Productions for always being a huge part of these Jams!   I hope to find the other Rad Ron fliers soon.... but this one was held at the Ghetto Banks Slab.   There were a few other Jams at Linn Park.   Photos soon! (I hope)

 

 

The best skate jam fliers ever were made by TDJ of Rad Ron Producttions

    Building a spot can be tough work!   Concrete is no joke, and moving huge ramps is back breaking work!   Big thanks to the hands that always are there to lift this stuff and help move stuff!!

 

 

 

 

The old Faith Truck made some heavy moves... purchased from Chad at Slacker 66 (another skate shop in town)

To close out this post,  I want to highlight a page taken from a DIY skatezine we made about 14 years ago.   Tom Bagby is a master at writing rad stuff!   There were many contributors to "STEEL CITY SKATEZINE".   I will post the pages from our zine soon... but for now, here are some words from one of Birmingham's o.g. skate rats... Tom Bagby.