Most municipal parks set aside scenic environments so that the public at large can appreciate the natural beauty free from commercial development. Austin BMX & Skate park, informally known as House Park because of the adjacent football stadium bearing the same name, is not one of those parks. Instead, it seeks to mimic landscape features normally found in urban commercial development as obstacles for skateboarders and BMX bicycle riders. The growing popularity of skateboarding in particular, fueled by successful video game franchises and events like the X-games, makes the need for a park like this more apparent. The commercial landscape is what is being preserved and protected here, in that the park provides skaters and bikers with substitute structures for their potentially destructive craft.
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| Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
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The park sits on 30,000 square feet located near Lamar and 12th Street. The layout includes hand rails, steps, platforms, and what is essentially a forever-empty swimming pool. These features were designed to take abuse, unlike the 'authentic' urban structures they copy. Park policy states that any stickers or graffiti will cause the park to remain closed until it can be removed, and the park remains almost entirely clean as a result. I noticed skaters, and to a lesser extent bikers, of all ages and skill levels. Admission is free.
Pictured below is the 'Iron Wave', a skate-able work of art designed by Chris Levack.
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