Frederick Street Skateboard Track - Santa Cruz CA

One of the oldest skate parks in America. 

Though the "park" is basically just a gently sloping sidewalk, Frederick Street is extremely important in the history of skateparks.  Its origin dates back to the very beginning of the urethane era.

In 1972, Sally Digirolamo and Carorle DePalma opposed the construction of two 16-story apartment buildings on the site that eventually became the skatepark. At the time they were merely citizen advocates, but Digirolamo eventually became Mayor of Santa Cruz and DePalma became a councilwoman. 

Rough timeline of the development of the park:

May 12, 1975 -- Digirolamo and DePalma began to push the idea of putting a skateboard track on the site.
September 18, 1975 — Granite Construction Co (old company from Watsonville) secured the low bid for the park ($135,000)

October 15, 1975 — Contract to build park was approved
May 1976 -- Construction of the park was completed, and skaters started to use it before its official dedication. It contained a narrow sloping S-curve track leading into a bowl at the bottom.
June 9, 1976 -- After large crowds (purportedly more than 200 people at a time) and seven different incidents of broken bones on the site, the skatepark was buried to temporarily prevent use.
July 14, 1976 — Council votes to unbury the park but change it into a mellower, more beginner-friendly course.

November 1976 — Skaters at council meeting demand the park be reopened.

December 1, 1976 — Park officially named "Frederick Street Park." 

December 12, 1976 -  Frederick Street Park was officially dedicated, and the beginner's course was opened.