Maria Virginia Sy

Skaters and extreme sports enthusiasts in Manila express concern over the demolition of the Manila Skate Park, also known as the Canonigo Sports Complex in Paco, to make way for the city’s Kalinga Center for senior citizens

Article (news)

Manila Skate Park Demolition

Mark Demayo

ABS-CBN News

Jerry Santillan lived most of his life near the location of and eventually within the Canonigo Sports Complex in Paco, Manila or more known as the Manila Skate Park. His late father was a barangay tanod and became a caretaker of the public skate park while his late mother used to tend to a stall outside the park gate.The young Santillan became a skateboarder when the skate park was completed in 2015 and has since traveled within and outside the country and made a living through competitions and sponsorships.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17368447956901-manila-skate-park-MD.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/>Skaters and riders gather outside the Manila Skate Park on January 12, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News Many aspiring skaters and extreme sports athletes may not be able to tread the same path as he sees the park closed and the courses reduced to rubble almost ten years later.</div>&quot;Ang lungkot kasi iniisip ko yung mga susunod sa hinaharap e. Mga batang maliliit, mas bata pa sa akin. May future sila na magtuloy-tuloy pa. Dahil nawalan kami ng skate park, saan maglalaro yung mga bata, sa kalye na naman? Sobrang delikado sa kalye. Tapos pagalit ng guard, may mga makakaaway na naman yan, mamaya masagasaan pa,&quot; Santillan said.The Manila Skate Park is said to be the first public skate park opened in the country in 2015. The construction of the skate park has reportedly led to the development of other skate parks in Metro Manila and other parts of the country. Videos surfaced online of workers demolishing some of the courses of the skate park and locking out its gates.<div>Fellow skater Jorge Lora first captured on video the ongoing demolition last January 7, 2025 when he was planning to skate due to some people mentioning the park reopened after a temporary closure. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17368449271912-manila-skate-park-MD.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/>The Manila Skate Park partially demolished seen on January 12, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN NewsBack in December, he saw the space was used to prepare food packs from the Manila local government last December and visitors temporarily barred from the area.</div>When skaters were still allowed in the early days of December, Lora noticed some workers digging deep into the park assuming they were doing renovations on the park.Upon his return one morning, the demolitions were underway.&quot;Pag punta ko doon mismo, ginigiba na siya ng umaga. Nung umaga, binalikan ko siya kasi wala akong dalang phone noon. Binalikan ko siya ng tanghali. Pag punta ko doon, sobrang dami nang nawasak na obstacle, halos parang pati sa taas nasira na nila. Wala naman po silang sinabi na gigibain na yung skate park. Noong nagtanong-tanong ako sa gumagawa sabi po sa akin, nag hahabol daw po ng project si mayor. Sabi ko bakit ganun wala hindi sinabi, wala namang nilagay sa labas na tarpaulin na gigibain to, may gagawing project si mayor. Hindi ba dapat alam natin yung gagawin ni mayor doon? Wala silang abiso sa amin e. Inantay namin siya mag open ulit,&quot; recalled Lora via phone call.&quot;Pinost ko po (on Facebook) kasi gusto kong masalba yung skate park. Almost 10 years na, simula po ginawa yan dyan na po ako. Hanggang ngayon andyan pa rin ako.&quot;<div>Back to the streets?</div><div>Many extreme sports enthusiasts, skateboarders, BMX riders, in-line skaters, and scooter riders, have since flocked to the park only to find themselves looking at the place they can practice but try to avoid in the first place: the streets. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17368458724883-manila-skate-park-MD.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/>Skaters and riders gather outside the Manila Skate Park on January 12, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News&quot;Ever since I was a kid, I started skating around 12 years old. Most of our spots kasi sa streets lang. There were no skate parks during the early 2000s, mid 2000s,&quot; recalls 37 year-old Parnell, a BMX rider and legal transcript editor.</div>&quot;And when this park was created, it was a sigh of relief for me and for every extreme sports enthusiast because we have a safe haven to be able to express ourselves, our art, and hone our skills through our vehicles. And now it&#x27;s getting demolished, parang why? Why is it getting demolished? We want answers din as to why it is getting demolished. Sayang naman, yung mga bata na gusto mag skate, saan sila mag sskate? Sa streets ulit? I think that&#x27;s wrong.&quot;Most older skaters and riders echo the concerns for the kids and youth that want to practice extreme sports but lose a facility where they can safely do so and not be called out as bothersome.&quot;The blow would actually be, there will be no facility to be able to do our thing. We will be riding, skating in the streets again. Parati silang sisitahin ng mga tanods, security guards, kasi wala na to,&quot; says Parnell who also mentions that he was already teaching his daughter who has shown interest in skateboarding.<div>With the recent inclusion of skateboarding in the Olympics in 2020, with notable performances by 2018 Asian Games gold medalist Margielyn Didal, the skaters and riders lament the demolition, feeling it is counterproductive for those who want to follow her lead. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17368459260684-manila-skate-park-MD.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/>Skaters celebrate Go Skateboarding Day in Manila on June 21, 2019. They are calling on people to keep Manila clean and are advocating more spaces for skaters to hone their craft. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/16/21/public-skateparks-needed-to-fuel-skateboardings-rise" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">More public skateparks needed to fuel skateboarding&#x27;s rise</a></div>&quot;Sa mga athletes, wala na kaming training ground dito sa Maynila. Siyempre mahirap, saan kami magsasanay? Sa streets? Maglalatag na naman kami ng tubo sa kalsada? Sobrang delikado,&quot; says Santillan. &quot;Eto, sobrang hindi na naalagaan, pero para sa amin mga taga Maynila, proper na to kasi  yung iba nag sisigawaan na ng skate park, tayo dito sa Manila nagkakagibaan ng skatepark dito.&quot;&quot;I really hope that they discontinue the demolition of MSP kasi this skate park has produced lots of talent from all disciplines of action sports. Maybe one day they will be able to compete in other countries and maybe even in the Olympics. So I really hope they discontinue this demolition and just let it be and let the extreme sports enthusiasts do their thing here,&quot; adds Parnell.Female skaters like Rhian Liongson go all the way from San Pedro, Laguna to practice in MSP due to its environment compared to some spots in her province , but now she is disappointed and alarmed to see the park in shambles one Sunday.&quot;Etong na-try ko po mag skate dito nung reopening, sobrang attractive yung lugar tapos safe din po. Tapos marami din po siyang friendly obstacle na matitirahan even yung mga babae kaya marami din pong lumalakas dito. Dinadayo ko din po talaga siya kahit walang event, nag sskate po ako palagi dito,&quot; says Liongson.&quot;Nakaka-disappoint kasi eto yung ginagamit naming laruan. Kahit ako dumadayo pa ako dito mula Laguna para maglaro dito. Tapos nung nalaman kong ginigiba tapos wala man lang po silang pasabi, ng purpose ng pag giba, siyempre nakakaalarma po sa mga skaters po yun.&quot;<div>Aside from growth in their respective craft, the loss of the park also means the loss of the opportunity for community growth. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17368459839515-manila-skate-park-MD.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/>The Manila Skate Park partially demolished seen on January 12, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN New</div>&quot;May mga bata that they will see skateboarders doing their thing, they get enticed. Naiinspire sila. So in turn, they want to learn how to skate or learn other disciplines of action sports. And in a way, nababago yung lifestyle nila. They tend to become more determined, they tend to become more focused. In terms of community, parang nagiging tight-knit dahil sa MSP. With the addition of young kids getting into the sport and teaching them, mas lalo nagiging tight-knit yung community. And we become sort of a family. A family outside of your own family,&quot; says Parnell.In a text message, Manila local government spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante said the demolition will make way for the LGU&#x27;s Kalinga Center that will house a Senior Citizens Affairs Office, a Senior Center for various senior citizens workshops, activities, and therapy sessions, Crisis Center for women and children, a Youth Center, Trabaho Center, Bahay ng Barangayan for barangay affairs, and a multi-purpose convention and performance art theatre.<div>As for a skate park, &quot;A new skate park will be included in the plans for the Green Green Green Program in Plaza Azul - a program with the MMDA to redevelop Plaza Azul into a landscaping and multi park facilities for all Manileños,&quot; Abante added. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17368460353506-manila-skate-park-MD.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/>Skaters and riders gather outside the Manila Skate Park on January 12, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN NewsUntil then, Manila-based practitioners will settle to ride or skate in the streets or go far to other skate parks as they hold on to hope that their plea will be heard: Save MSP.</div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABTCvg5C2fjAU8px&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script>

Skaters and extreme sports enthusiasts in Manila express concern over the demolition of the Manila Skate Park, also known as the Canonigo Sports Complex in Paco, to make way for the city’s Kalinga Center for senior citizens

Skaters, riders lose spot in Manila Skate Park demolition

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Skaters, riders lose spot in Manila Skate Park demolition

Mark Demayo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 14, 2025 11:32 PM PHT

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Canonigo Sports Complex

Manila Skate Park

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Manila Kalinga Center

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