VIP Party Pixs: Paine’s Park Skate Board Park for Day and Night, and the most beautiful setting in the world

May 22, 2013 by HughE Dillon 2 Comments

Last night I attended the VIP Celebration for the long anticipated Paine’s Park one of the most expensive and expansive skate parks ever built and is located along the banks of the Schuylkill River.

The site is beautiful, above is one of the earlier designs, and does not take into consideration they were able to save two beautiful trees from the field where they built the multi-use skateboard park.
Update: The fence will be taken down today and you can enter from the South side of Eakin’s Oval, or the Schuylkill River Park or from the top of MLK Drive.

By multi- use I mean pedestrian’s can walk through it, people can sit and enjoy the day, and there’s a large pavilion which over looks both Fairmount Park and Paine’s Park, which you can rent for parties, or picnic, or just hang out.

Mitch Bormack, Board President FPSF and Christopher Plant, FPSF Board Member and two of the hard working peeps, who were able to execute the project.
Franklin’s Paine Skatepark Fund works to strengthen communities and
empower youth by advocating for skaters and skateboarding culture,
educating youth and adults about the art of skateboarding and its
benefits to neighborhoods and people, and building free, public
skateparks that demonstrate innovative design, community engagement and
multi-faceted

Angela McCafferty, Joe Bray and Emily Bittenbender, Bittenbender Construction – Philadelphia

Steve Olitsky, (The Olitsky Foundation). Avi Golen (Co-Founder of Revolution Recovery LLC) two champions of Paine’s Park, and one of the sponsors. You can thank them. Sharon Pinkenson, Hope Cohen, and Frank Bardonaro

Kevin Taylor and Serggi Trudrowski tell me the new skate park has a great flow and elements that he looks for in a great run.

Jesse and Dean Rendell. No doubt next year Dean will be on his own board taking a spin.
He had a dream.

Lorenzo Errico, Founder of Formation Skateboard Company

Bentaur Graphic – Art by Todd Marrone designed the graphic on this
skateboard for Mural Arts. The proceeds go to support the landscaping of
the grounds around Paine’s Park

Todd Marrone, Heather Hall, Sara Hagan and Yis Goodwin

Anny Deirmenjian Deese, publicist for Davio’s , Beth Blakely and Dorothy Rapeepun

Jane Golden, Mural Arts Executive Director and Nicole Cashman, Cashman & Assoc. There are still tickets left for the 2013 WALL BALL with Julius “Dr. J” Erving Thursday, May 23 6:30p to 9:30p

Event website

I’m Coming Out- Another One Bites the Dust –

Spinning by DJ Eddie Tully

Unicycle

Thanks to so many people including State Representative Babette Josephs (1985 -2012) who introduced a one line item that made it possible to create the park.

skater Chris Cole and his daughter. Now that’s confidence.

Skater Dan

Mitch Bormack, Board President FPSF
Mitchell Bormack has been a Board Member of Franklin’s Paine Skatepark
Fund since 2007 and became Board President in early 2012. Mitchell was
initially attracted to the FPSF organization through his involvement as a
Board Member of the Fund For The Water Works and observing the early
efforts of FPSF as the group was planning its flagship project, Paine’s
Park

Claire Laver, Executive Director, Franklin’s Paine Skatepark Fund and former Gov Ed Rendell
Jesse Rendell had a dream, as he and his friends were serious skate boarders. With the help of his dad, and countless others, especially Mayor Nutter, Gov Rendell noted, Paine’s Park has become a reality.

Steve Rockman and Maya Victoria

Great cake by “Save Your Fork”

Josh Nims, Operations Manager at Schuylkill River Development Corporation

The Crew From ESM Productions: Nikkita Thompson, Scott Mirkin, Valerie Smith and Chrstine Rudloff (PS This is the production company behind MIA and the July 4th Concert. HUGE TALENT)

Natalie Scarantino, Executive Assistant and Cosmo DeNicola, Philadelphia Soul co-owner

Mitch Bormack, Board President FPSF and Allyson Katzman, Paralegal – Fine Kaplan Black. (It’s a small world, Allyson and I used to work on many projects during my 20 years as a paralegal, in that last life I lead.)

Christopher Plant, FPSF Board in 2006 and Jessica Meeker. Congrats to them both for their recent wedding.

Shana and Avi Golen, Avi tells me that since Jesse and him were kids they dreamed of a skateboard park like this. Jesse never gave up on his dream, and today, now the dream has come true.

Big Rube and One punch

Paine’s Park is gorgeous. It’s my hope that everyone will respect and no one will graffiti it, and even if camera’s are in place, I would hope if you see something you will stop it. Please use the trashcans too. I already saw people last night drop butts, and trash on the ground. OK now go have some fun.

And if you were wondering how well lit the Paine’s Park is at night, it’s like daytime. Say goodbye to Love Park, except as the most iconic skate board park in the world.