Open Road Programs in NYC in 2009-2010

Public events and Programs in NYC

Open Road Park is our home base and location for year round events & programs.

We work citywide, and we are designing 6 new parks for construction in 2010. Each of these parks will have skateboarding phys education, DJ, and art programs.

Open Road Park was created through Participatory Design, led by youth.

We began designing Open Road Park in 1990 and we began building it in 1992.

Today our park is home to public events in skateboarding, music, art, basketball, dance and environmental design.

In 2009 Manhattan Bridge skate park was rebuilt with Team Pain skate art by Open Road together with the NYC Parks Department and the Tony Hawk Foundation.

Manhattan Bridge Skate park events draw thousands of people. The new design, created together with skateboarders, allows many skaters to move freely in circular flow patterns.

In 2009 Open Road held our first event in Thomas Jefferson Park, East Harlem. For this event we’re reached out to nearby schools that have community playgrounds, like the Academy of Environmental Studies, and to NYCHA public housing community centers, to recruit youth for King of Spring and Street Games 2009.

Within Thomas Jefferson Park, Open Road created a custom moveable skate park in unused basketball courts . Art, music, and skateboarding attracted 1000 youth.

Open Road Rooftop Project

Since 2008 the Open Road Rooftop Project has involved youth in skateboarding physical education, music, rooftop films, architecture, and greenhouse design and construction.

We lead skateboarding physical education classes in 3 public schools in NYC. In 2010 we are working with 6 new schools from Brownsville to the Bronx.

Our DJ programs co-led by Apostle Sound and Open Road involve youth in creating original lyrics, beats, and performances.

Youth in our programs create art, participate in event leadership, and network.

Murals and skate art are integrated with gardens and landscaping in our parks.

Our youth are the center of our work. Come join us. Openroadpark@gmail.com