BATH — Two years in the making, a new and expanded half-pipe ramp room is now open at the Bath Youth Meetinghouse and Skatepark.
The center at 4 Old Brunswick Road also has a new logo, designed by celebrated Maine artist, and Bowdoin College art professor, Mark Wethli.
The “Park,” which calls itself the largest indoor skatepark in Maine, opened at the former National Guard Armory in July 2012. The Park was previously at the former YMCA building on Summer Street, which has been demolished.
The Park now has a three- to four-foot long half-pipe with a spine, a small euro-gap on one side, and other features, according to a Park press release.
Wethli, who toured the Park in April, incorporated into his design a “wild style” of graffiti he had noticed in New York City, according to the release.
“Tagging is closely associated with skateboarding and with youth culture in general, so it seemed like the natural way to go,” he said in the release. “Among the styles of tagging we might have chosen, free style spraying seemed to be the most appropriate. It was also flexible enough to incorporate the curve of a skateboard ramp into the design.”
Wethli has also volunteered to aid the Park in a community art endeavor that will involve creative Mid-Coast students.
“More than providing a pleasant backdrop or simply sprucing things up, art and design can be key ingredients in community development and well-being,” Wethli said. “It’s the visual impact of any environment that creates a sense of place and embodies the purpose and identity of a community in all of its aspects.”
The Park will hold its largest fundraiser, the 12 annual Chili Chowder Fest, during Bath Heritage Days on Saturday, July 5. It will be an event that ties the future to the past, with the event being held at the old Park site, 23 Summer St., under a white tent and across from Library Park.
Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.
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A new and expanded half pipe ramp room is now open at the Bath Youth Meetinghouse and Skatepark.
The Bath Youth Meetinghouse and Skatepark has a new logo, designed by Mark Wethli, a Maine artist and Bowdoin College art professor.
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