Shred Bed

Ordinarily I would be suspicious if I read that a skatepark or spot had become the “newest American skateboard mecca.” It is sort of like when you’re reading the Austin Chronicle and they refer to Austin as the “so-called” Live Music Capital of the World, suggesting that the past few years of growth and change has corrupted the city’s bohemian spirit– and because of this, the live music capital must be somewhere else. But in the case of the Louisville Extreme Park, it’s true– not only is it arguably the best skatepark in the world, it has become a gets the scoop from a local skater: “One time, I met two German skaters who were walking around here with a German-to-English dictionary and were asking questions like `Hotel?’ and where to get food, stuff like that…” One thing that has impressed me is how the skatepark, located in a burgeoning section of downtown along the river, is seeing new businesses spring up as a direct result of the park. This has to be the only hostel in the world catering primarly to skateboarders, bikers, and fruit-booters.

June 27th, 2003