Skatelab facts for kids

Skatelab was a popular indoor skate park located in Simi Valley, California, in the United States. It first opened its doors in 1997 and quickly became a favorite spot for skateboarders.

This large facility was about 30,000 square feet, which is a lot of space for skating! It was built by a company called Team Pain Skate Parks. Skatelab was special because it was the very first skate park in America to use a special type of wood called Finland Birch for its ramps.

A famous person named Scott Radinsky owned Skatelab. He was a punk singer, a baseball coach, and even a retired major-league baseball player!

After 21 years of fun, Skatelab closed in January 2019. This happened because fewer people were visiting the park. However, in February 2019, a professional skateboarder named Steve Badillo took over. He used to be the main skateboarding teacher at Skatelab. Steve Badillo now owns the Skatelab name and all its rights. He hopes to open Skatelab again in a new location in Simi Valley someday.

Awesome Skatepark Features

Skatelab had two main indoor rooms filled with exciting features for skateboarders. Outside, there was also a large half pipe and a smaller mini pipe.

Room One: Fun for All Skaters

The first room was packed with different obstacles. It had:

• Ten quarter pipes, which are curved ramps perfect for gaining speed.
• Fun boxes, which are structures you can jump over or grind on.
• Two rails for grinding and sliding.
• A 4-stair set, just like stairs you might find outside, but designed for tricks!

Room Two: Big Ramps and Bowls

The second room was home to even bigger and more challenging features. Here, skaters could find:

• Large quarter pipes, including a very tall Matix ramp that was about 12 feet (3.7 meters) high.
• A fly box, which helps skaters get air.
• Euro gaps and hubbas, which are types of ledges and gaps for tricks.
• Two flat rails for grinding.
• Two roll-ins, which are ramps to help skaters get into the flow.
• A gap over the door, for advanced tricks.
• A large bowl, which is a sunken area shaped like a swimming pool, with a deep end about 10 feet (3 meters) deep.
• An 8-stair set with a rail, for more complex tricks.