| Texas Beach Skate Park | |
| Type: | Skatepark |
| Coords: | 37.5321°N -77.4686°W |
| Operator: | Richmond Area Skateboard Alliance |
| Status: | Active, work in progress |
| Open: | 24 hours year-round |
Texas Beach Skate Park, also known asTreasure Island Community Skate Park, is a DIYskatepark located within the planned Riverview Community Park in theTexas Beach riverside area on the north bank of the James River inRichmond, Virginia, United States.
Under ongoing construction and expansion by a group of local-area skateboardersand volunteers, with additional support and organizational assistance from theRichmond Area Skateboard Alliance (RASA),[1] theskatepark comprises two separate concrete slabs, the older lower levelconsisting of the original Texas Beach DIY skate spot, and the newer upperlevel poured in 2019.[2] With ongoing developmentsanctioned by the City of Richmond, but without direct financial support fromthe Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities,construction and expansion of the skatepark continue to be undertaken purelyby the efforts of local skateboarders and volunteers with donated concrete,coping, and other materials.[3]
Texas Beach Skate Park is the second public skatepark in the City of Richmond, and the first and only public skatepark in the City north of the river. In contrast to Carter Jones Skate Park, the city's first public skatepark on southside and the only one officially opened and formally dedicated by the city, the skate park has a strong volunteer culture and DIY vibe.[3]
The original lower slab (the original Texas Beach DIY skate spot[4]) featuresa quarter pipe with center pad, a six-foot-high bowl corner,and two rails;[2] this lower slab has a rougher concrete surfacethat more closely mimics typical street skating conditions. The newer upperslab, with a recently poured concrete surface at a slight inclination, featurestwo adjoined manual pads of differing heights (with coping); this upper slabfeatures a very smooth concrete surface that is ideal for beginningskateboarders learning how to skate. An additional bowl corner is also connected over a hump to the lower slab. The twoslabs, at different elevations, are connected by a fixed rail; construction ofa concrete ramp to connect the upper and lower slabs is a tentative futureproject. As a DIY skatepark, numerous additional movable rails, constructionbarriers, wooden pads, ramps, and raw construction materials are available onsite for use by skateboarders.