The skatepark at Dundas and Bathurst goes by more than one name but most importantly one of the names adopted is Poyner Park. If you’re a skateboarder from the city of Toronto and you don’t know where this name originates from then I suggest that you find out or don’t bother coming. Rob Poyner has given back to the Toronto skateboarding community year after year for little to no compensation and has spent countless hours and energy on what has become the ultimate central meeting place where we all share a common bond – Skateboarding. Robs efforts have provided us with a positive atmosphere to express our deepest passion and to find our place in a scene that lacks the municipal support to provide a solid and permanent spot in the downtown core. The park boasts a 5’ high and 28’ wide mini ramp that is solid and fast and it’s underside has been known to provide sufficient shelter to any squatter seeking hospice from the wind, rain and the rest of the cruel world. Ledges, rails, manuals, hips and euro gaps don’t quite cater to the needs of the average squeegee kid but make for more than a sufficient supply obstacles for any and all skateboarders. Fortunately, much like skateboarders, the park isn’t very rollerblade or BMX friendly but it does attract a generous mix of shady individuals, families, and can collectors so keep a close eye on your beer or it runs the possibility of vanishing without warning. If you’re lucky you may even roll up at a time when some of Toronto’s finest are throwing down moves that you’ll never do.

Matt Ross