New Skate Park Opens in Havana

New Skate Park Opens in Havana, 14ymedio, Marcelo Hernandez

14ymedio, Marcelo Hernandez, Havana, 16 March 2017 – Manolito spends his
afternoons chasing buses to grab onto as he rides down the street on his
skateboard, or rehearsing new stunts. The young man left school a couple
of years ago and every day he spends fewer hours in the house in La
Timba where he lived with his mother, his grandmother and his three
brothers. Now, a few yards from where he lives, there is a new skate park.

An immense site, closed to the public for decades, was opened for
skateboarding on Paseo Street and 31st, very close to the Plaza of the
Revolution. With the opening of the new facility they no longer have to
watch jealously as other boys do tricks on their boards. News of the
opening of the new park spread rapidly among fans of the sport, who have
always had to try to find their own place to skate, despite the prejudices.

This urban sport has gained followers in Cuba in recent years and also
the attention of filmmakers, musicians and supportive friends. For
years, the organizations Cuba Skate, based in Washington DC, has been
sending materials to the island for these restless boys, including
boards and spare skates. The lack of material is just one of the
problems they face. So far the main "squeaky wheel" is that the urban
sport lacks places where it can be practiced, leaving them only the
plazas and other public spaces where they are definitely not welcomed by
other users of the space.

Source: New Skate Park Opens in Havana, 14ymedio, Marcelo Hernandez –
Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/new-skate-park-opens-in-havana-14ymedio-marcelo-hernandez/