Fairfield, Iowa • June 6, 2015:
Grand opening of the new skatepark constructed by Spohn Ranch Skateparks. The park was made possible due to a generous donation from Joe Mandarino and is maintained by Fairfield Parks & Recreation • fairfieldparksandrec.org.

The park is located at West Fillmore Avenue and South 2nd Street in Fairfield, Iowa.

Photo and video camera work by John Wendell.
Video edited and produced by Werner Elmker Audio-Visual Studio • elmker.com

Video of skatepark construction: https://youtu.be/wYfEfGiGxnk

Skate park grand opening Saturday
By Andy Hallman | Fairfield Ledger | Jun 04, 2015The skate park at O.B. Nelson Park was finished in October and has seen many months of use from the local scooter and skateboard enthusiasts.Since the park was finished near the beginning of winter, the grand opening was delayed to the summer date when the weather would be more welcoming. That date is nearly here. The skate park will have its grand opening from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, complete with a skateboarding demonstration, best trick contest, product toss and free food.Fairfield Park and Recreation is sponsoring the event, which will feature skateboarders from “EduSkate” in Cedar Rapids. The members of “EduSkate” will demonstrate to the crowd how to make the most of the skate park’s features such as its bowl, ramps and railings.The parks and rec department will grill hamburgers and hot dogs to give away to the hungry onlookers.Park and rec director Derik Wulfekuhle said the skate park is used all the time, and that interest in it has been growing ever since it was finished and opened to the public Nov. 1.The skate park was built on top of ground that once housed a sand volleyball pit. During the construction, much of the grass in the area was torn up. Wulfekuhle said the company Blue Ribbon has seeded the area around the skate park.Just south of the skate park will be a new outdoor basketball court. The court will be lighted, making it the only lighted outdoor court in town. Wulfekuhle said rainy weather has stalled progress on the court, but he expects it to be finished in July.The skate park was made possible by a $160,000 donation from Joe Mandarino. A plaque at the park honors Mandarino’s contribution. In fact, Mandarino’s charitable gift inspired an anonymous couple to donate $50,000 toward the outdoor basketball court.Spohn Ranch of Los Angeles built the skate park. After it was finished, the company’s workers even tested out the features they had built by skateboarding on them. Jason Baldessari, director of the company’s skate park development, said the skate park in Fairfield is “one of a kind” and that the design has not been built anywhere else.“In terms of the features in the design they, or variations of them, have been built in other parks across the country, but not exactly how it is setup in Fairfield,” he wrote in an email. “ Each design we do is based on that specific site and the given project parameters [such as the budget, etc.], so no two parks are ever the same.”When asked if Fairfield’s skate park was designed for beginning, intermediate or advanced skateboarders, Baldessari said it was designed for everyone.“Skateboarding is unique in the fact that beginner and advanced skaters can use the same features, just in different manners,” he said.


Spohn Ranch began as a community, anchored by Aaron Spohn’s backyard half-pipe, and grew into an award-winning skatepark design/build firm. A cornerstone of action sports progression for over 20 years, Spohn Ranch’s backyard roots have spread globally, culminating in hundreds of cutting-edge creations.

From permanent skateable landscapes to innovative installations for high-profile events, Spohn Ranch has played an invaluable role in the exponential growth and development of action sports. Spohn Ranch’s staff of dedicated professionals have spent considerable effort advocating for the industry as a whole: establishing ASTM construction guidelines for skateparks, writing editorial content for industry publications and lecturing at parks and recreation conferences.

In the private sector, Spohn Ranch became a household name by designing/building courses for premiere action sports competitions, film/television and corporate events. In the municipal world, Spohn Ranch has consistently been a pioneering firm, most recently taking a lead role in transforming skateparks into vibrant community spaces with architectural finesse and sculptural elements that double as visual focal points.

From planning, through design and construction we have an unrelenting commitment to helping others experience the freedom and beauty that is skateboarding and action sports. Learn more about our comprehensive, time-tested skatepark development process here: spohnranch.com

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This fabulous skatepark was constructed by Spohn Ranch Skateparks. It was made possible due to a generous donation from Joe Mandarino. The park is located at West Fillmore Avenue and South 2nd Street in Fairfield, Iowa.

Background music by:
Randy Pringle • absolutestudio.net
Longziju • longzijun.wordpress.com
Werner Elmker • elmker.com
and various Imovie audio clips


Spohn Ranch began as a community, anchored by Aaron Spohn’s backyard half-pipe, and grew into an award-winning skatepark design/build firm. A cornerstone of action sports progression for over 20 years, Spohn Ranch’s backyard roots have spread globally, culminating in hundreds of cutting-edge creations. A cornerstone of action sports progression for over 20 years, Spohn Ranch’s backyard roots have spread globally, culminating in hundreds of cutting-edge creations

From permanent skateable landscapes to innovative installations for high-profile events, Spohn Ranch has played an invaluable role in the exponential growth and development of action sports. Spohn Ranch’s staff of dedicated professionals have spent considerable effort advocating for the industry as a whole: establishing ASTM construction guidelines for skateparks, writing editorial content for industry publications and lecturing at parks and recreation conferences.

In the private sector, Spohn Ranch became a household name by designing/building courses for premiere action sports competitions, film/television and corporate events. In the municipal world, Spohn Ranch has consistently been a pioneering firm, most recently taking a lead role in transforming skateparks into vibrant community spaces with architectural finesse and sculptural elements that double as visual focal points.

From planning, through design and construction we have an unrelenting commitment to helping others experience the freedom and beauty that is skateboarding and action sports. Learn more about our comprehensive, time-tested skatepark development process here: spohnranch.com

Video produced by Werner Elmker Audio-Visual Studio
Website - http://elmker.com
Facebook - http://facebook.com/elmker
Twitter - http://twitter.com/wernerelmker
Instagram - @wernerelmker

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