Thank you for reaching out. My childhood was shaped by skateboarding, and I've been excited to introduce it to my young children over the past couple years. I grew up in Northern California, and my first skatepark was the Santa Rosa park about 45 minutes from my house. Once the Petaluma skatepark opened closer to my house, I spent every possible minute there over the summers leading up to highschool.  During that time, I also made one trip to Portland and I'm sorry to say that I was too intimidated to drop into Burnside...something I still regret to this day.

To answer your questions, it would be my honor to lead the movement to increase skatepark development across the city. I can speak from firsthand experience about the profound effect that skateboarding has had on my life. I believe it is an excellent form of exercise, self-expression, and confidence building for our youth. As both a small business owner, and a forensic accountant, I hope to use my experience working with budgets and complex financial situations to better understand the structural issues in our Parks budget. Specifically in District 2, I want to make sure we are seeing the same level of investment in North and Northeast Portland that we do in the Central City. 

I am excited to continue to learn more about the Steel Bridge park project. I'm confident that the project will be a valuable asset to the redevelopment of that area. Recent review of Portland Parks spending has shown that just because something is budgeted for, doesn't always mean the work gets done. I hope to keep the focus on this project to ensure that we see it to completion. 

Advocating for DIY parks spread across the city will require a good understanding of each specific neighborhood's dynamics. In my district, my small businesses are spread across the entire region. That, along with my work leading a local community based non-profit, has given me a wide-ranging connection to our unique neighborhoods. I believe that would make me a strong advocate for community level skateparks, even those constructed in a DIY fashion.

Thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions. While I rarely get on a board anymore, I would be humbled and honored to have the support from the community that shaped such a large part of my childhood.

Thanks

James Armstrong

Thanks for the opportunity to reach your community. I used to skate back in high school, but that was 30 years ago!

You’re zeroing in on the problem right away: Funding. I think that my best contribution to finishing the Skatepark System Plan as well as the Steel Bridge Skatepark will be in working hard to find more public-private partnerships to support these projects. I have extensive experience during my time at Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider with the challenges of running public events that require assistance from the City of Portland. And I know the importance of getting corporate sponsors to make anything pencil out. When elected, I will be a champion on City Council for events like the Rockstar Energy Open, I’ll work to find sponsorship dollars to support the Depave project on 7th and Sandy, and ensure that Parks & Rec has sufficient funding for a wide range of summer programs including skateboarding.

Regarding DIY skateparks, you’re really speaking my language here. So many times, the people find solutions to their needs without help from local government. There are countless examples of elected officials using their power to flex policies of enforcement, or bringing people together to find community solutions, or elevating something that already beloved to find a permanent home. “Activation” is a wonky term for events which use public spaces. My second most important  area of focus is transportation policy, which includes safe streets and reducing the use of cars in our city. Reclaiming streets for public use such as parks, street trees and events will be a high priority for me.

I look forward to keeping this conversation going when I’m elected.

Nat West (he/him)

I’m proud to have been an ally during my four years on City Council in making real progress toward building Portland’s skatepark system. As Commissioner overseeing Portland Parks & Recreation, I pushed back against bureaucracy to move forward on the long-stagnant Steel Bridge Skatepark plan. Under my leadership, the City secured $15 million in System Development Charges (SDCs) to fully fund a new, world-class skatepark in Old Town near the Steel Bridge. This skatepark will not only enhance recreation but also contribute to revitalizing the downtown area, specifically Old Town. As noted by Transworld Skateboarding in their March 2024 article, the Steel Bridge Skatepark “is a huge win for Portland and surrounding areas.” To finish the job and complete the city’s skatepark network, I’ll continue advocating for strategic use of SDCs, public-private partnerships, and working with community organizations like the Steel Bridge Skateboard Coalition, and leaders like Ryan Hashegan and Alex Murrell to secure the necessary funding. We must prioritize spaces that keep our youth engaged, active, and connected.

The Steel Bridge Skatepark is set to become the crown jewel of Portland’s skate community, and I’m committed to seeing it through to the finish line. I’ve already secured $15 million in System Development Charges, but we’ll need to keep pushing Parks & Recreation to ensure we hit the 2029 target. My support means actively working with public and private partners to bring in additional resources and staying engaged with the community to keep the project moving forward. I will insist on regular project meetings with stakeholders to ensure a smooth process and address any issues upfront. This includes collaborating with the skateboarding community, design organizations like Grindline Skateparks (by skaters, for skaters), as well as surrounding businesses and City leadership. I’m also focused on leveraging creative solutions and partnerships to prevent delays. We’ve come this far, and I’ll do whatever it takes to see it through!

Yes! Portland’s DIY skate culture is a key part of what makes our city unique, and projects like the Burnside Skatepark have proven how community-led initiatives can thrive. I’m committed to supporting DIY skate spots as long as they benefit the neighborhoods they’re part of. This means working closely with local skaters, community leaders, and the city to ensure these spaces are safe, well-maintained, welcoming, and fully supported. I strongly support creating more places where community members and their children can play, recreate, and most importantly, have fun—especially in N/NE Portland!

I got my first skateboard at Cal Skate when I was in the third grade. Although I was never great at it, skateboarding was a good way to stay active and get to the corner store on 30th and Ainsworth. Now there are skateparks, which are great ways to build community and sharpen skateboarding skills in a designated space. I would convene all stakeholders -- public, private, skaters and neighborhoods -- to learn about the projects, any allocated funding, and any additional barriers to adding some additional parks and create a realistic timeline to achieve this goal.

I would convene a meeting with all stakeholders to learn more about the project and help identify public and private partners for support and funding to complete project. The city has some urgent issues to address, especially as it relates to parks -- cleaning up unsafe and unsanitary conditions, ensuring that parks are safe, addressing the lack of accessible pools in North Portland and overall maintenance. In addition, to deliver on the basic services, I do see the relevance of doing two things at the same time, which means planning for a Portland that has many things to offer everyone, contributing overall livability.

DIY skatespots can be a value add if the community members in neighborhoods are on the same page and want them there. DIY skatespots can be a good way to activate areas that need some action to deter troubling behavior, help keep the areas clean and create community that takes pride in the skatespots. This can translate into neighbors collaborating to take care of their neighborhoods. I recently sat in on a discussion about having one in a vacant parking lot in Old Town to help with activation.

My commitment entails having open conversation to learn more, bringing all stakeholders together for the discussion and helping to identify partners to assist with funding.