Why Ruston’s Skatepark Is Going to Make Shreveport Sad

After years of waiting, the North Louisiana skating community is about to get a major upgrade. Although construction hasn't officially begun, a new skatepark has been confirmed for Ruston, with the project officially moving forward with construction. For a region that has lacked a true, modern skatepark, this project is a big deal, promising to become the new hub for skaters across the area and finally giving them a high-quality place to call home.

Why Shreveport Needs Ruston's New Skatepark

Here in Shreveport, the skating community has always had it rough. Sometime in the mid-2000s, skateboarders in Shreveport had grown tired of practicing ollies in mom's driveway and started to flock to downtown. The City and the skaters had a back-and-forth for some time, and plenty of defiant skaters ended up getting a court date.

The city's solution was to build a skate plaza with the help of pro-skater Rob Dydrek. After the plaza opened, not many skaters found it that much fun, and to this day, the same complaints can be heard anytime the concrete park is mentioned. With the City and police cracking down on skating around downtown, the community slowly died out around the city. That's not to say there are no skaters in Shreveport, but if there are, they're likely driving out of town for some fun.

Why Ruston's Skatepark Matters

North Louisiana's only dedicated skate shop (not including multi-service retailers like Zumiez) is in West Monroe, meaning anybody looking for a board in Shreveport has to drive at least an hour and a half. Tomahawk has done well with cultivating a community on the Eastern edge of NLA, but over on the West side, there's nothing.

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Ruston's new skatepark has plans to do everything Shreveport's Stoner Skate Plaza couldn't, with a design that's been in the works since 2016, with input from tons of local skaters.

Ruston's new park will feature something no skatepark in North Louisiana has ever had: an actual sloped bowl. Being between West Monroe and Shreveport, Ruston is in the perfect position to become the place to be for skaters across the region.