I moved to St. Louis Park, Minnesota in the summer of 2016 — not long after the Rec Center closed its skatepark. Until October 2017, St. Louis Park didn't have a skate park. But now, the city offers the local skate community a 6,500-square-foot concrete park with a number of rails, a mini, neat little bumps and gaps, and a mellow step-up.

The city worked with California Skateparks, a premier skatepark design and build firm based in Upland, Calif. The firm has built skateparks all over the world, including nearly 200 in North America. They've built other parks in Minnesota too, like the plaza in St. Cloud. The St. Louis Park skatepark shares Carpenter Park with a baseball diamond and a neighboring practice field.

Park Highlights

The Step-up

Hands down, my favorite thing to skate at the park is the mellow little step-up. On the eastern side of the park are banks that you can roll into or a quarter with a slight hip and clean coping.

I drop into the quarter, fly at full speed toward the step-up, and build confidence one trick at a time. I've been skateboarding for years and years. Since I was a kid. And I love this little step-up. It's a bunch of fun and relaxed.

What's nice about that is that it's friendly for beginners and for people who're trying to nail down a trick or experimenting with harder tricks.

The Mini

On the western side of the park is a small mini. Each quarter is about three and a half feet. This mini is great for kids learning to drop in for the first time or for people just looking for an easy going session.

Is it the best mini? Nope. Personally, I like Mendota's mini better. It's bigger, has better coping, and it's wood, which is more forgiving. But, the mini is the first thing I go to because it's a great way to warm up.

The Set

A 6-set is front and center, dividing the north and south ends of the park. It's a shorter set, but it's fairly long with deceiving handrails. They're a bit low and there's a 6 or 7-inch gap to the rail. It's just enough to be weird.

There's a 6 or 7-inch gap from the top step to the handrail, making it just enough weird when rolling up.

But, when I see people show up, they're usually skating around building up to throwing themselves down the set. Not long ago, a guy came through and did a back 360 lipslide down the rail. That was pretty killer to see, and judging by the hype, that was likely one of his first times landing the trick. That's where a lower rail comes in handy.

The Rails

Something you should know about the park is that it slopes ever so slightly from west to east. That means you'll pick up speed while skating the stair set or the flat bar toward the park's entrance.

That can make it a little bit hard to judge your speed or get enough speed, depending on where you're coming from. That can make the rails challenging at this park. But, once you've got the flow of it, the rails are definitely a highlight.

My favorite rail is the one right when you enter the park. It's a long, teal flat bar that's just smooth as can be. It's a nice height -- not too tall, not too short. Another fun one is the circle rail next to the set. It has a mellow kink to it, and it's little taller. Like I said, it can be a challenge getting your speed just right but this rail is an accomplishment when you get it.

The Verdict

Since it's been open, I've been so grateful having this fun little park nearby. I hop on my bike, cruise down the road, and boom, I'm there. Can't really beat that.

But, it's not the biggest park and it doesn't offer the most diversity when it comes to things to skate. And when there are more than 10 people skating at once, it feels like a rainy day at 3rd Lair -- packed, crowded, and kind of like a minefield.

This park is great for kids, beginners or people looking to train in a more controlled space with relaxed rails and ramps. It's a fun park and I've managed to learn new tricks here and build on old tricks. That's why I'll keep coming back even after the move. (My wife and I are buying a house in Richfield, Minnesota.)

That's just my two cents, though. Go check it out, and let me know what you think!

St. Louis Park Skate Park Review