GardenSK8 Turns to Art to Rebuild After Flood

A welcome sound came from the Pirate Bowl at GardenSK8 indoor skate park on Saturday after weeks of quiet in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene—the sound of a skateboarder riding in it.

The skate park on Changebridge Road in the Pine Brook section of the township was flooded with 2 feet of water after the storm.

The flood damaged the sheetrock walls, and murals by leading graffiti artists that adorned the walls had to be ripped down. Metal transition strips rusted. The retail shop was dismantled entirely. Owner Todd Schwartz had to cancel camp sessions and refund tuition.

So, while Schwartz, a Towaco resident, said it was good to hear his son, Bennet "Lil B" Schwartz, a 9-year-old competitive skateboarder, riding in the Pirate Bowl over the weekend, there is a long way to go before the park is operational again.

To help raise funds to get the park opened again, he is planning to hold an art sale and auction to benefit the park on Halloween weekend.

Schwartz doesn't know how much of the damage will be covered by his landlord's insurance. The federal government can provide low-interest loans to help businesses affected by the hurricane, but no other assistance is available, he said.

Carmelo "Snow" Cigona, Garden Skate's art director, is working on the event, Schwartz said. Called GardenSK8 2.0, it will feature skateboards painted by graffiti artists and items donated by professional skateboarders, Schwartz said.

"Art is what started this whole park. We want to go back to what made it work in the first place," he said.

For more information visit GardenSK8's website, email info@gardensk8.com or call 973-287-7626.