https://uk.khebikes.com/

From Green Park To House Park

The Untold Story of Austin's First Outdoor Skatepark

14 Aug 2015

Austin housepark BMX 2009 10 07 TONY CARDONA DSIDE WHIP HIP

This hip had definitely seen better days. Tony Cardona downside whip. October 7th, 2009.

Words and photos by Devon Hutchins

A lot of people may not know that before the popular 'House Park' skatepark was built there was a smaller and less attractive skatepark at the very same location. I still remember being in High School and hearing about the new 'Green Park' skatepark that got built in downtown Austin only 3 blocks from the famous 9th St. trails. Me and my friends excitement was hard to contain, without seeing photos and only hearing rumors we had high hopes. This was Austin’s first outdoor skatepark after all, built even before Mabel Davis, but as we pulled up to the skatepark and laid eyes on it for the first time, our excitement quickly turned into disappointment.

What we had envisioned and dreamed about was not what we saw before us. We saw a skatepark crammed into a 24ft by 100 ft fenced in lot at the end of some tennis courts. There was a very low, square flat rail plus a weird double kinked flat rail, two grind boxes, a hip, a wedge to wedge wall ride, and two steep and awkwardly built quarter pipes. We got out and rode trying to make the best of it . We soon realized that it was skateboard only and were promptly kicked out.

https://shop.digbmx.com/collections/all-clothing
Austin housepark BMX 2010 07 26 GREENPARK LAST DAYS

This was the last picture I ever took at Green Park. Soon after this it was all plowed and turned into House Park. July 26th, 2010.

“This is it?” we thought. We ended up doing what we usually did, went to 9th St. and then rode street downtown. After a year or two the popularity of Green Park died down and the staff no longer kicked bikes out. Mabel Davis opened which attracted most of the cities skateboarders. Green Park became a place you knew would not crowded and was good to alternate between 9th St. I soon had different feelings about Green Park and it became a staple in my downtown riding regimen. Then it started popping up in bike videos and magazines. Somehow this very modest and awkwardly built skatepark grew on me and a lot of the local riders.

Nowadays it’s hard to imagine going to a skatepark in Austin at anytime during the day and finding it empty, and I think that was one of the biggest appeals of Green Park. Many years later there were rumors about the tennis courts and park being demolished and a brand new huge cement skatepark being built in it’s place. I was skeptical at first but as time went on and I started seeing plans and designs I realized it was reality.

House park was officially opened on June 16, 2011. It is a 30,000-square-feet facility featuring a bowl, and large street plaza. House Park is obviously a huge upgrade to the now defunct Green Park but I still wanted to pay some homage to the modest park that soon got forgotten. This is a collection of photos from Green Park and some of House Park’s early beginnings.

Austin housepark BMX 2009 10 07 LIL JON FENCE WALLRIDE

This fence got put in around 2009. There was a lot of talk about wall riding it but Lil Jon was the only person to get ‘er done. October 7th, 2009.

Austin housepark BMX 2011 04 15 LIL JON VERT QUARTER AIR

This is Lil Jon airing the vert quarter 2 months before officially opening and 2 years after he did the fence ride. April 15th, 2011.

Stair/rail /hubba construction, 2 months before opening. April 15th, 2011.

Skaters getting amongst it during construction. As you can tell people were pretty excited for the new park to open. April 15th, 2011.

Austin housepark BMX PROGRESSION

House Park progression - starting from the top left and going clockwise: 2011/02/13, 2011/03/29, 2011/05/03, 2011/05/26

Austin housepark BMX Austin housepark BMX 05 25 15 HOUSE PARK FLOOD DH

The infamous Austin flood of 2015. This is the main reason a skatepark was chosen for this site. It sits on a flood plain so not much else can be built there. May 25th, 2015.

"This was Austin’s first outdoor skatepark after all, built even before Mabel Davis. But as we pulled up to the skatepark and laid eyes on it for the first time our excitement turned into disappointment."

Austin housepark BMX DAKOTA ROCHE TRUCKDRIVER HIP

Way back when, this wedge to wedge hip was a favorite. Dakota Roche truckdriver.

Related Video

ATX HOUSE PARK 2015

Chase Hawk, Tom Dugan, Jason Watts, Clint Reynolds and more! - More Info

Previous

Wisdom Of The Ages: Jason Enns

5 pieces of wisdom from the legend himself...

Next

Wisdom Of The Ages: Van Homan

9 pieces of wisdom from the BMX savior...

Related Content

Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works

Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works

2011-2014

8 Sep 2014
Chase Hawk Mug
Play Button

Chase Hawk - Long Story Short

"I got my ass handed to me on that trip..."

28 Jul 2015
Ralph sinisi bmx crop BC

Re Print: First Hand Account

That Time Animal's Ralph Sinisi Broke His Femur Filming for Nowhere Fast...

10 Sep 2020
House park bmx austin grab titles
Play Button

ATX HOUSE PARK 2015

Chase Hawk, Tom Dugan, Jason Watts, Clint Reynolds and more!

12 Aug 2015
ECLATX DIG BNB-1-of-2

Scare BnB in Austin

Éclat meets Muck Man - Does not end well

14 Oct 2014
weird-bmx-austin
Play Button

Weird BMX in Austin

Keep It Weird...

17 Oct 2014
LEE SULTEMEIER BMX EMPIRE

Homeless Trash - Under Your Influence

Stew Johnson on a classic Austin video and his favourite section of all time…

16 Oct 2014
CHRIS DOYLE  - PITTSBURGH TO BETHLEHEM
CHRIS DOYLE  - PITTSBURGH TO BETHLEHEM
CHRIS DOYLE  - PITTSBURGH TO BETHLEHEM
CHRIS DOYLE  - PITTSBURGH TO BETHLEHEM

CHRIS DOYLE - PITTSBURGH TO BETHLEHEM

Photos from the trip that almost didn’t happen...

13 Nov 2014
austin-bmx-random 1

Re Print: What I'm Really Thinking - The Austin Local

"But... there are some common feelings regarding Austin visitors shared by anyone who has lived here for a while"

16 Oct 2014
Wichita-crew-IMG 6358-BB

When Austin Isn't Enough - The Road To Wichita Falls

Just a good old fashioned BMX road trip

22 Sep 2014
vans-at-texas-toast
Play Button

Vans - Texas Toast week

Fun and shenanigans from the Vans crew...

8 Nov 2014
Cult -The First 5 Years Book Release
Cult -The First 5 Years Book Release
Cult -The First 5 Years Book Release
Cult -The First 5 Years Book Release

Cult -The First 5 Years Book Release

Austin, Texas March 19th 2015

21 Mar 2015
http://www.divisionbrand.com/news/

Latest Content

P8 Rm X VC9 Lkhqdefault
Play Button

IN THE CUT - JULIAN ARTEAGA | CROWN JEWELS

"YOU'RE GIVING ME ANXIETY!"

28 Mar 2025
Mv Ic4 Id U8 Q Yhqdefault
Play Button

THE LAST SESSION - VANS COMBI BOWL

The official send-off!

28 Mar 2025
O Psno Pw L Bt4hqdefault
Play Button

Source BMX: Chris Doyle Bike Check 2025

S&M MOD Build

28 Mar 2025
C kz4 H1 Bz Ihqdefault
Play Button

POST TIME - Full Video

Florida's finest

27 Mar 2025
Ghidm Gqutchqdefault
Play Button

RIXIN BIKES: JACK HENNICKE BIKE CHECK

A walk through of his current Rixin/Merritt bike build.

27 Mar 2025
To ENLV Uknnshqdefault
Play Button

AANGLES / Denim Cox

Flat out!

26 Mar 2025
Dtpm9v F5vpshqdefault
Play Button

The Backbone Zone - Alex Liiv

"From hucking & hoping to finding a mature approach to life and BMX"

25 Mar 2025
Q Dn Hdawx WB Ehqdefault
Play Button

"SLEPT ON" - Devon Anderson

Couple years of stacking

25 Mar 2025
C D9 Z Zhz Az8hqdefault
Play Button

These BMX trails videos were way ahead of their time

Dave King, Matt Priest, Bob Manchester & More

25 Mar 2025
6s Kwlq Bvg6shqdefault
Play Button

XYLOPHONE

Spain / USA

24 Mar 2025
Ih J Jbtwn F Uohqdefault
Play Button

Zach Bearley MABII Section! - Kink BMX

Mediocre At Best II Sneak Peek

24 Mar 2025
Tp TK Pnz Re0ghqdefault
Play Button

CONDOR SYNDROME - ROBIN PFLUG

Let 'Em Fly

21 Mar 2025

DIG Partner stores

More Dig This

Rad teaser

Rad Day 2025

Anniversary movie screenings and RAD documentary release.

18 Mar 2025
Expert Top 3 Roll On crop

REPO: Keeping it local at the UK 'ROLL ON' Flatland Jam

"My desire was to give something back" – Mike O'Connell

5 Mar 2025
Snow Fight – Naoki Gaman2

20 Tips For Surviving Simple Session 2025

Check yourself before you wreck yourself!

20 Feb 2025
SS finals samples 4

SIMPLE SESSION 25 WRAP UP

Highlight videos, results and more

19 Feb 2025
Street station graphic

STREET STATION RETURNS for 2025

"Not your average BMX jam"

18 Feb 2025
Stack

DIG BOOK #2024

AVAILABLE VIA THESE BIKE SHOPS AND DISTROS

30 Dec 2024
New dig apparel main image

NEW DIG BMX APPAREL

Available now

27 Dec 2024
30 YRS POSH BOOK MNTN V V 004

(Almost) 30 YEARS OF POSH WOODS

Now available

24 Dec 2024
BSD Grime Safari Reed Stark Austin 6

Reed Stark - A Photo Safari

Safari Forever...

6 Dec 2024
Et FW24 Dig Magazine Collab Shoot 031

Introducing the DIG X ETNIES Collection

Celebrating a 25 year partnership

7 Nov 2024
24 photo comp web leader

THE 2024 DIG PHOTO COMP IS NOW LIVE!

OVER $1000 WORTH OF PRIZES UP FOR GRABS

15 Oct 2024
Greystoke issue 2

GREYSTOKE BMX MAGAZINE - ISSUE 2 OUT NOW

132 pages of tangible, hold-in-your-hands BMX print media.

11 Oct 2024