A number of California skate parks were filled with sand to deter resident skaters from gathering, but that only brought in a new set of wheels.
In an effort to prevent skateboarders from gathering in California skate parks, officials filled them with tons of beach sand. According to The Recreation and Parks Department, the yellow tape and signs were not enough to prevent social distancing violations, and the extreme measures were essential.
Venice Beach was one of the first to undergo the desert makeover and Hunter Weiss, a videographer in Venice, California, captured the action with a serene film.
Meanwhile, up the road, a skate park in San Clemente was filled with 37 tons of sand. But while most skaters abandoned the park it became the perfect new playground for a group of dirt bikers.
Connor Ericsson, a content creator on Instagram, captured it on film and posted it to the platform. The caption reads, “Took advantage of the all the sand the city dumped into the San Clemente skatepark then helped some local skaters dig it all out so they could do some social shredding.”
Later, a second video was added which shows the group helping skateboarders remove the sand from the skatepark. In an interview with CNN, Ericsson explained that he fails to see how skate parks posed a greater public risk than crammed supermarkets.
A spokesperson for LA City Recreation and Parks said, “Once the orders are lifted and the skate parks are reopened, the sand will be removed.”