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Austin’s Newest Skate Park Will Feature This Iron Wave

A new skateboard and BMX park will be official unveiled by the city on Thursday. The $1.7 million city facility, financed in the 2006 bond election, is located downtown at 1213 Shoal Creek Blvd near House Park Plaza. And in the northwest corner of the park a piece of art that serves as a ramp for skaters and BMXers.

The “Iron Wave” was designed, built, and installed by local artist Chris Levack. A press release from Parks and Recreation explains the meaning of it all.

Levack bridges the park’s natural and man-made surroundings with both art pieces, as the “wave” references the water of nearby Shoal Creek and the “trilobites” that shape the arbor canopies are visual reminders of the past life forms that once inhabited the Creek.  The artist will be on hand to discuss his work at the Grand Opening this Thursday.

You can also watch the video above to hear Levack explain it himself.

The sculpture is just one component of the 20,000-square-foot park, designed by New Line Skateparks, a company based outside Vancouver, Canada.  You can check out artist renderings of the project on their website.

Thursday’s grand opening starts at 10 am with skate demos, music, refreshments, and some guest speakers.

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan.
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