A & E -> A&E THU, JAN 27 10:53AM by Dege Legg

Skate & redeploy

Lafayette has a long and storied skate scene. Beginning in the mid-70s with legendary skaters like Vance Carlin and Rocky Jackson to the hardcore-punk influenced 1980s and vert skating to the dominance of street skating in the 90s to what you have now, which is mix of all the above, it’s all pretty rad. And it’s just getting better. The kids coming up rip – there is just no denying it. Part of the tradition of skating is having cool places to skate.

SPOT_4

DAVE_WATTIGNY_2
Dave Wattigny, owner & operator of The Spot Skatepark

You may not know Dave Wattigny, but he’s been involved, in one way or another, with the Lafayette skate scene for over 20 years – from throwing together backyards ramps, constructing over 30 indoor and outdoor skateparks around the country to building everything almost everything worth skating in Lafayette since 1994 – including the Dust Bowl to Buck Nuttys, and the old Skate Spot.

SPOT_3

His latest venture is as owner and operator of The Spot skatepark. Right across the parking lot from the old Skatespot (which closed last year), it’s Lafayette’s newest and only official skatepark – full ramps, vert, rails, stairs, etc.

PARK_2

Dave and the krewe at The Spot Skatepark throw their grand opening on Jan. 29. There’ll be door prizes, a product toss, a best trick contest with a cash prize for first place, food, and bunch of dudes ripping hard. Skaters from neighboring cities and states will be there as well as locals and hoard of skate teams. Be at The Spot skatepark (4305 Johnston St. Suite C. 534-4392) on Jan 29.

PLAYING FAVORITES WITH DAVE WATTIGNY

DAVE_WATTIGNY

Favorite food?
Sushi.

Least favorite food?
I'm over Tex Mex.

TEX_MEX

Favorite Record of Past 10 Years?
Any Wes Anderson soundtrack.

Raddest old school Lafayette skater, pre-1988?
Wow. That's tough. It’s tie between Heath Copes and Charlie Thomas.
Charlie_Resize_Wizard-1
Charlie Thomas, late 80s

Raddest new school skater?
DJ Goudin or Sam Breaux. The way someone skates is so hard to judge.

zzz_DJ_GOUDIN
DJ Goudin

zsambreaux
Sam Breaux

WTF was up with skaters and those big ass Jango/JNCO jeans in the 90s? It was like Elephantitis of the bell bottoms.
Aerodynamics! I guess some of those kids were into raves. I never wore that stuff.
JUNCO_JEANS
Jangos

Then vs. Now
skinny_jeans
Skinny jeans

Favorite land mammal that isn’t a rat?
My dog buzz (Australian Scarrier).

zBUZZ_THE_DOG
Buzz

Favorite worst movie ever made?
Pearl Harbor.

Favorite Nutty Historical Figure?
Napoleon.

Weapon of choice?
Time machine.

TIME_MACHINE_UFO
Time machine/UFO

Favorite Truck Stop food when on road?
Sunflower seeds.

Most necessary item to bring on road?
A good attitude.

Favorite icon who isn’t a skater?
Mark Zuckerberg – the guy who owns Faceballs. That guy made it happen...chess style.

Mark Zuckerberg

Favorite reason to party hard Bon Scott-style?
You can't take the party with you when you die. You got to leave the torch behind for the young bucks.

Favorite reason to call your grandmother up and talk to her in a weird voice like Dave Mustaine of Megadeth?
Because she can still tell it's me under all the misbehaving.

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written by Raymond Paul Howard , February 09, 2011 - 12:27 am

Aren't you forgetting the ONLY skater to beat out BOTH
Vance Carlin and Rocky Jackson in competition.
Edwin Howard☺ my brother- HELLO! get your facts right man!
& YES He's still Skating!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001773296164
You also failed to mention anything about Scott Starr
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1630803945
Perhaps one of THE most legendary & knowladgeable skateboarding historians to date. Oh yeah & he used to Live in Lafayette back in the day & skate the halpipe in our backyard. 1 of the only 2 halfpipes in all of Lafayette back then☺

Me= I stoped skating long ago & got into powerkiting & kite buggying eventually gravitating towards Kite Boarding
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1131661016546&set=t.1377889715

...
written by Scott Starr , February 28, 2011 - 08:05 pm

Yea, what Raymond said, But Dege knows all of this.. I also shot that photo of Charlie Thomas you have on this page. How's it hangin' Dege?

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