Cantalowes
Posted on July 16, 2007 @ 9:22 AM
London
Photos by Sam Ashley
Words by Lance Mathis
D.O.B.
April 6th, 2007
Web:
www.cantelowesskatepark.co.uk
Design:
Three years back and forth between the Cantalocals, landscape architects Watkins Dally and Camden Council. Bulk of the credit goes to Jeremy “I’m going to build a cradle if it kills me” Donaldson and longtime local Hareth Pochee, who know how to draw proper, like; to Matt Elms for voluntarily managing the entire project; and to Perry Wilson for getting on Camden’s case from the start.
Construction:
Wheelscape for Charter Construction, with Jeremy and Hareth in almost daily attendance.
Funding:
Camden Council, Sport England London and the John Lyons Charitable Trust.
Cost:
Final skatepark construction costs were £190,000, part of a £1.5 million budget for regeneration of the Gardens. Significant skatepark-earmarked funds were sucked up by the incompetence of the landscape architects: cheers, guys.
Size:
With the original park bulldozed to make way for yet another football pitch, a bizarre 1000 sq.m chevron-shaped plot was left for the skaters. Not only that, but the entire area is on a hill. All hail to the designers for making it work.
Location:
Camden, North London. Situated in Cantelowes Gardens, the gate to the skatepark is directly on Camden Road.
How to Get There:
Northern Line on the Tube to Camden: turn left out of the station (NOT the hard left, or you’ll end up in Kentish Town) onto Camden Road, past the big Sainsburys and keep on trucking. It’s about an 8 minute stroll/laborious push uphill. Silverlink train to Camden Road: again, turn left and head up the hill for five minutes. Thameslink or Northern Line to Kentish Town: turn left down Kentish Town Road and left onto Gaisford Street. When the road changes to Oseney Crescent you’ll see the rear entrance to the Gardens on the right. Buses: the 253 from Euston and the 29 from Trafalgar Square/Leicester Square/Tottenham Court Road stop right outside the park; the 390 from Kings Cross stops on Camden Park Road, 30 seconds up the hill. Camden Road is otherwise known as the A503 between Camden and Holloway, but don’t drive before 6.30pm weekdays unless you want to fork out your firstborn in meter fees.
