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Encinitas retirees and skaters David Skinner and Doug Marker walk out to survey the area they call the “Dream Bowl," a skate bowl at Moonlight Beach. Photo by Walker Armstrong
Encinitas retirees and skaters David Skinner and Doug Marker walk out to survey the area they call the “Dream Bowl," a skate bowl at Moonlight Beach. Photo by Walker Armstrong
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Encinitas parks commission weighs Moonlight Beach skate bowl proposal

ENCINITAS — On a hot, sunny day at Moonlight Beach, on an empty patch of sand off the beaten path, three 60-year-old skateboarders stand around the perimeter where they hope to realize a life-long dream: building a skate bowl at the beach.

“That’s why we were calling it the ‘Dream Bowl,’ because this would be a dream for any skater,” said Barry Blumenthal, standing beside his colleagues, David Skinner and Doug Marker. “To be in Encinitas, where the weather is just Goldilocks almost all the time, and you got a bowl on the beach, oh, I mean, you’re just inspired.”

A few days later, at a heavily attended Parks & Recreation Commission meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, Blumenthal, Skinner and Marker presented their proposal, emphasizing the need for an additional skate bowl in Encinitas. 

“We want to put a professional skateboarding bowl at Moonlight Beach,” Marker said during the meeting. “Encinitas is the mecca of skateboarding, … and by building a bowl here, you’re showing our city and the worldwide skate community that you’re proud of our skateboard heritage.”

Encinitas residents David Skinner, Doug Marker and Barry Blumenthal (not pictured) are advocating for the construction of a skate bowl at Moonlight Beach. Photo by Walker Armstrong
Encinitas residents David Skinner, Doug Marker and Barry Blumenthal (not pictured) are advocating for the construction of a Moonlight Beach skate bowl. Photo by Walker Armstrong

The longtime Encinitas residents argued that Moonlight Beach, with its iconic location, ample parking and existing infrastructure, is an ideal site for a new skate bowl. They also suggested that the project could attract private funding from philanthropists, easing the financial burden on the city.

The three cited overuse of the existing bowl at the Encinitas Community Park, also known as Poods Park, the requirement to pay to skate the YMCA bowls, as well as the growth in skateboarding’s popularity following its inclusion in the Olympics. 

“This [other] bowl is located in Encinitas Community Park, known as Poods, whose bowl can no longer accommodate the amount of skateboarders attending it,” Marker said. “In fact, the bowl will now undergo construction to replace its coping and tile due to overuse.”

The group’s chosen location, a roughly 6,000 square-foot patch of sand in the northeastern corner of Moonlight Beach, is an area where they said few people traffic or hang out.

“I went to the BRO AM, which is probably the most crowded Moonlight ever is, and that spot had six porta-potties on it, and that’s it,” Skinner said during the meeting. “There was no one, you know, picnicking, no one setting up towels, nothing.”

Their presentation highlighted the potential benefits of the skateboarding bowl, including increased tourism, economic impact and the promotion of Encinitas as a hub for skateboarding. They also noted that the bowl would cater to a wide range of users, from local skaters to international teams, and would be designed for speed, making it both challenging and accessible.

Commissioner Ross Ridder responded positively to the enthusiasm for the project but expressed concerns about the proposed location. Ridder, serving as chairman of the commission, pointed out potential challenges, including existing infrastructure, such as drainage pipes, that might complicate construction. 

The proposed area for a new skate bowl sits tucked back at Moonlight Beach, a place advocates say is rarely used by the public. Photo by Walker Armstrong
The proposed area for a new Moonlight Beach skate bowl sits tucked back in a location advocates say is rarely used by the public. Photo by Walker Armstrong

“I’m very proud of the skaters who have won in the Olympics, and how we definitely have a huge skating community here in Encinitas, which is really kind of the place in the United States to skate,” Ridder said during the meeting. “But I do feel like you have a high, uphill challenge with this particular location.”

Ridder also mentioned that Moonlight Beach is owned by California State Parks, which would require navigating a complex permitting process involving multiple agencies.

Ridder suggested the three men consider alternative locations that might be more feasible. He also suggested working closely with city officials to identify the best site. While supportive of the project in principle, he emphasized the importance of choosing a location that would minimize potential obstacles and ensure a smoother approval process.

“The goal is to get it built in a great location where you can get it done as quickly as possible, as inexpensively as possible, and I would just be somewhat concerned that this might be making the project a little too difficult,” Ridder said. “That would be my personal opinion, but I’m a big supporter of what you’re trying to do.”

In response, Blumenthal said the trio needed guidance in order to ensure the “Dream Bowl” could one day become a reality.

“When we picked a location, we’re flying blind; we need the help of the city, someone who can get movement,” Blumenthal said. “But there are other locations all around Moonlight that might work as well, we just need help from the city.”

3 comments

coastfan August 30, 2024 at 11:36 pm

No way! The noise from skateboards slamming on concrete at skate bowls is horrific. This will disturb beach goers who are trying to enjoy a tranquil day at the beach. The area is not “tucked away” — it’s right next to the beach — and to homes.

steve333 August 23, 2024 at 1:44 pm

Terrible idea. parking and noise.
It’s the beach, keep it that way.

coastfan August 31, 2024 at 1:14 pm

Totally agree. The approach to this beach is very small. There’s no room for a skateboard park here — maybe it could be shoehorned in, but the constant banging noise of skateboards will be intolerable and will drive away beach goers.

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