Elissa Bolt of the Charles River Conservancy, the non-profit that initiated the project and has raised the $2.1 million towards building the skatepark, interviewed Matt.

EJB: How long have you been skateboarding?
MF: About 20 years.

EJB: So, since you were quite young?
MF: Yeah, since I was about eight.

EJB: How long have you been involved in building skateparks?
MF: I’ve been working with Grindline for about five years. I went to school for landscape architecture and project management and have always been interested in building stuff. I didn’t even know a position like this existed until I got it.

EJB: And how did you originally become involved?
MF: I went to a public input meeting about a skatepark Grindline was building out in eastern Washington where I was going to school then, and after the meeting I talked to the general manager about my background and he said it sounded like a good fit. Then about three weeks or a month later, I went to the next public input meeting, but I was the one running it.

EJB: Sounds like a dream.
MF: Yeah, it’s unexplainable.

EJB: Since you started working with Grindline, how many parks would you say you have been involved in with the design or construction?
MF: Oh, easily over a hundred. And Boston has by far the most physical constraints we’ve ever dealt with. I have never encountered a site that is so complex and complicated as the spot under the Zakim Bridge. There are also a handful of public agencies, and a large design team, which makes it even more complicated.

EJB: And all these constraints were not known in the initial stages of the planning for the Charles River Skatepark?
MF: Right. On my initial trip out here last December, we had a series of meetings, and each meeting brought new constraints to deal with. At one point, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to dig down for the bowls or if we were going to have to build the entire park up [above ground level].

EJB: Did the overall size shrink because of constraints like these?
MF: Yes. The space has had to shrink because of utility easements and abandoned bridge pier concrete footings and because we also have to allow for contractors to bring in prefabricated elements for the pedestrian bridge planned adjacent to the skatepark. And certain parts of the skatepark have to be at street level with no obstacles to allow servicing of the pillars and ramps above. This is only a small part of the long list of site constraints. We are glad we had the help of so many great consultants.

EJB: Local skateboarders have met a few times over the years to give input into the project. Will the new design incorporate that input?
MF: Yes. We received information from the original design which had the input of over 400 Boston skateboarders. Then in December, I met with some skateboarders who have been to parks all over the country. We talked about elements they liked and elements they didn’t like. Then I met with them and showed them the working design. The design included a few different types of bowls, some street obstacles influenced by famous Boston spots, and some street features influenced by famous spots throughout the world. The design has been well received so far.

EJB: What did they say? Did they want changes?
MF: They made some minor modifications, changed the height of a few things in the streetscape section. That’s about it. They liked the layout: the three bowls of different depths and the 16’ ft diameter standing cradle. That will allow skaters of different skill levels to find what suits them.

EJB: I’ve seen earlier plans of the half-transition, half-streetscape park and think it’s great that it incorporates Boston skater landmarks such as the Medical Center Pyramid stump and elements of the old Turtles park. Are there other influences for the streetscapes?
MF: There are. Especially [the city of] Barcelona, Spain, where some of the architecture that was not originally intended for skateboarding has become well known [in the worldwide skateboarding community].

EJB: And how long will it take Grindline to build this skatepark?
MF: We need nine months and we prefer to do it in one stretch. We plan to start next spring.

EJB: Who is normally involved in projects like these?
MF: We work with teams of engineers that have expertise in soil quality, geotechnical, civic structural and electrical engineering, landscape design and environmental permitting. With the Charles River Skatepark, we have two state agencies that own the land (MHD and MTA) and then a third (DCR) that will take on ownership once the park is completed. Having so many agencies involved greatly adds complication to the project. But everybody is very excited and wants to see the skatepark built.

EJB: Who have you worked with here in Boston on the project?
MF: I have worked closely with representatives of the skater community and in particular with Jamie Cumming who is a member of the Charles River Conservancy’s skatepark committee along with five other parents and grandparents of skateboarders. And of course with all the consultants on the project headed by Doug Russell who works for the Conservancy and with Chi Man of VHB who coordinates the subconsultants.

EJB: The skatepark can be considered part of the Big Dig mitigation effort, bringing activity and life to an area that now sits a wasteland. How will this transformation change this site?
MF: Per square foot as far as public spaces go, it’ll get more use than any other park facility, such as basketball courts. It’s also accessible by four T stops. The skatepark will be full all the time, probably even when skateboarders should be in school. (Knowing smile.)

EJB: The site under the Zakim Bridge ramps is unique. Have you ever constructed a park under a bridge?
MF: Well, not legitimately. There was the Burnside Project in Portland, OR and the FDR project in Philly and the Marginal Way in Seattle with which Grindline was a little bit involved, but this park is the first legitimate-- that’s the best way to say it-- project under a bridge. The overpass gives a more urban feel to the park-- makes it fit better into the context of where it’s located and will also provide some protection from sun, rain and snow. And I cannot think of better use for this space under the bridge, since trees wouldn’t grow there.

EJB: I understand Grindline is a company of all skateboarders. What are the advantages to having a skateboarder-run company building, well, skateparks?
MF: How the company came about was that [President and C.E.O] Mark Hubbard started renegade projects, do it yourself, just pouring as much concrete as you can. He just wanted a place to skate. When it’s passion that drives you instead of the dollars-and-cents business side, it’s more special.

EJB: Yes, that’s for sure. What skill level is the park designed for?
MF: The park has elements for all levels. There are bowls that range from 4’ basic to 11’ expert level, as well as many different street elements

EJB: How many people will be able to use the park at one time?
MF: The design maximizes the amount of potential users at one time.

EJB: What kind of skateboard events do you envision happening here?
MF: Demos [where skateboarders demonstrate their skills] are more common than competitions. It’s more informal. And there are many local and regional events that will be attracted to this site.

EJB: Have you heard the talk of skateboarding becoming an Olympic sport?
MF: I have heard that. (Pause.)

EJB: You don’t seem enthusiastic.
MF: Well, I have mixed feelings. It is great to get skateboarding out to as many people as possible. You don’t need a team or equipment, just a board. There’s this unspoken brotherhood of the skateboarding community-- it is not as mainstream. We want people everywhere to experience it, but…

EJB: Is it not as competitive as other Olympic sports?
MF: It is competitive, but more than anything, you’re competing against yourself. It’s progressive. It’s not an opponent-based sport. It’s great to go skateboarding with your friends, because you’re not all there to compete against each other.

EJB: I see. That’s great. Any last thoughts?
MF: I guess just that it’s too bad that skateboarding is not allowed in public places in so many cities— it’s such a great mode of transportation. You don’t have to lock up your skateboard outside or take the wheels off, you can just take it with you into your office or wherever you go.

EJB: That sounds convenient. Thanks so much. I can’t wait to see the skatepark design completed.
MF: Thank you.