A cluster of people huddle around the UBC skate park. Music from 70s rock to hip hop and reggae blasts out mixed with the percussive slap of skateboards on cement and the charcoal smell of barbequed hot dogs. The crowd eagerly anticipates the next big trick from the competitors announced by Stirling Bell. A big flip down the stair set is met with roaring approval and a new skate deck is the prize.
This setting encapsulates the growing UBC skateboarding community, spearheaded by the campus skatepark and the UBC Skate Club.
“It’s grown five to six times the size. It’s definitely on an upward incline,” said UBC Skate Club President Kade Philps.
With The Calendar’s involvement and its massive campus following, the size of the UBC Skate club jam has also boosted. “We want to reflect everything that’s happening on this campus,” said Calendar representative Bhavya Mandloi. “I think it’s important to bring up the smaller clubs.”