Robert Brink - Writer

Edmund Bacon R.I.P.

October 20, 2005 | Skip To The Comments (2)

I had the pleasure of briefly interviewing Edmund Bacon, one of the men behind the design of Philadelphia's LOVE Park, in June of 2004 during a rally to save LOVE Park for skateboarders. Aside from unknowingly designing one of the greatest skateboarding landmarks of all time, Edmund appreciated, and was flattered by, the skater's new-found application for his creation and supported us 100 percent. Here is my entire interview with him from that day.

How does it feel having a continued push to make skateboarding legal here? It just never stops it seems.

It feels extrordinary. Because after all, I had the idea for this as a simple project 73 years ago at Cornell. So I took it to Mayor Dilworth, and the Mayor had the Commissioner of Streets there. And the Mayor said "Mr. Commissioner, what do you think?" And the Commissioner said, "Mr. Mayor, if you build this, all center city traffic will come to a complete standstill!" so the Mayor said, "Well good, then I'll build it!" And he did and here it is.

And skateboarders brought new life to it...has anything else brought life to LOVE Park like skateboarding has?

No of course not. And of course when this was done, skateboarding wasn't even a glimmer in anyone's eye. But Vincent Kling, who was the architect, I'm afraid he isn't here, and I are very proud that we created something that is a worldwide attraction. And it is marvelous to see the persistency of this. I see this as a great social revolution and the skateboarders are really the revolutionaries. But it's wonderful that corporate America joins forces, and that, I think, is very unusual.

But the opposition to skateboarding is a delusion, the thought that the skaters are going to run into old ladies and such. Well for God sakes, when you see their skill, you know there isn't a skateboarder who couldn't avoid running into all the old ladies there are.

What do you think and hope will be the ultimate outcome for the skateboarders and LOVE Park?

Well, what I hope is that the skateboarders will win hands down. Because there is no reason on God's Earth, when you look at all the surface of the world, that this little spot can't be made for whatever is the best use for it. And when the whole world agrees that this is a focal spot for skateboarding, it is insane to put any inhibitions in the way at all. Philadelphia should be extremely proud instead of sitting there and spending a million dollars to try to scare the skateboarders off.