Concrete Wave Country
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Concrete Wave Country is a public concrete skatepark in Nashville, Tennessee that was constructed by Wally Holladay of California Skateparks in the spring and summer of 2004. Concrete Wave Country occupies approximately 20,000 square feet (2,000 m²) adjacent to Nashville's public wave pool, Wave Country. The skate park consists of three different areas of skate terrain that range in size from small street obstacles to a 10 foot (3 m) deep bowl (combi-pool) with pool coping, known as The General Jackson in honor of the General Jackson riverboat that is operated by nearby Opryland Hotel. The mid-sized flow bowl is known as The Wabash Cannonbowl in honor of the popular Wabash Cannonball rollercoaster ride at Nashville's Opryland USA theme park, which closed in 1997. The street area at the park is known as the Angle Inn, which references the angular nature of most street skating obstacles, along with a historical nod to the Angle Inn attraction at Opryland USA.
Concrete Wave Country is the first public skate park for the city of Nashville, and follows on the heels of numerous private skate parks that have come and gone throughout the sport's turbulent history in the city. Mayor Bill Purcell presided over the skate park's grand opening ceremony on July 1, 2004, along with numerous enthusiastic local skateboarders, inline skaters, and BMXers. Although Mayor Bill Purcell likes to claim credit for initiating the effort that finally resulted in the skatepark he was not elected as Mayor until after the process had actually begun.
Michael Poindexter, a local skating advocate, approached the then Parks Department Director, Jim Fyke, and suggest the need for a Parks Department sponsored skatepark and got the wheels of government rolling. The Metro Council approved the budget for the skatepark and sent that budget to Mayor Bill Purcell. Tim Neutch, with the Parks Department, secured Wally Hollyday and California Skatepark by simple luck. Mr. Neutch would later use the power of his position to punish his political opposition by selectively excluding those most involved and experinenced in the with local skatepark.
Since construction of the skatepark the Parks Department under the new director of the Parks Department, Roy Wilson, has not held a single event for the skatepark patrons, refuses to maintain the skatepark and has denied the skatepark users any voice in supporting the skatepark.
