Red Bull rolls into Nova Scotia to create a skateboarding movie
It was once a business dream: turn a scenic location on the Aspotogan Peninsula into a hotel resort and spa.
That half-built hotel by the sea, abandoned years ago, was an unexpected skateboarding playground for a movie by Red Bull, the energy drink manufacturer.
For several days this past September, seven of North America's top skaters rolled out their best tricks inside, around and even on the roof of the cavernous, concrete building.
The mini-movie premiered earlier this week at Pro Skateboards, a store in Halifax.
Steve Hare, a local concrete contractor and skatepark builder, helped create the concrete bowl where there used to an old foundation. He says the experience was a thrill.
"Usually we build skateparks for municipalities in public parks. But to be on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, and so close to home is really incredible."
He and his crew even went for a spin around the bowl.
"[The] boys took a few rolls around ... It was fun, definitely. Challenging. The pros definitely did it more justice than we did," Hare said with a smile.
Skateboarding ramps dismantled
The concrete bowl is still there, but it's now filled in with rocks. Red Bull says the ramps and other skateboarding apparatus built for the movie were dismantled. The company says that was part of its agreement with the landlord of the property, The Pointe at Aspotogan.
And that has some local skaters wishing the movie had created a legacy — an indoor park. Nova Scotia has about 12 skateparks, but they're all outdoor facilities. The closest indoor public skatepark is in Riverview, New Brunswick.
Jason Wadley has been skating for about 13 years.
"Come back, Red Bull. You know, bring us a small indoor park. We'd be happy with that, you know. Yeah, it's just sad to see it go and that it was such a neat idea that just couldn't stick around."
