Coleman Playground
{{short description|Public park in Manhattan, New York}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Coleman Playground
| alt_name = Harold Hunter Skate Park
Coleman Square
Chinatown Skatepark{{cite web |title=NYCSK8 — Where to Skate: Skateparks |url=http://www.skatecity.com/nyc/where/parks.html |website=www.skatecity.com}}
LES Skatepark
| image = Coleman Playground 2.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Coleman Playground in 2012
| map =
| map_width =
| type = Urban park
| location = Lower East Side, Manhattan
| nearest_city = New York City
| coordinates = {{coord|40.7112|-73.9937|display=it}}
| established = 1919
| area =
| created = New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
| operator =
| terrain = Concrete
| status =
| publictransit = Q, F, D Trains
| designation =
| opened =
| open = All year
}}
Coleman Playground is a public park on the border between the Chinatown and Lower East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City.
History
File:New York City Street Skateboarders At Harold Hunter Park.jpg
The park is named in honor of a U.S. Army corporal, Joseph Francis Coleman, who died in 1919. Before World War I, the Coleman family lived nearby on Madison Street. Coleman fought in France as a member of the 321st Field Artillery, the 82nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). Coleman died on June 16, 1919, at Base Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey, after contracting tuberculosis in the trenches. Exactly six months after Coleman's death, the Board of Aldermen named this playground in his honor.{{cite web |title=Coleman Playground : NYC Parks |url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/coleman-playground/ |website=www.nycgovparks.org}}
LES Skatepark
Under the bridge, Coleman Playground features a skatepark officially called the Coleman Playground Skatepark but often referred to as the LES Skatepark, LES Park, Coleman Square Skatepark, or Chinatown Skatepark.{{cite web |last1=Skateboarding |first1=N. Y. |title=Introducing The New Coleman Skate Park (2012) |url=https://nyskateboarding.com/2012/06/21/introducing-the-new-coleman-skate-park-2012/ |website=NYSkateboarding.com |date=21 June 2012}} The park began as a DIY spot on old abandoned basketball courts, with the only obstacle being the double stair set that still exists today.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2011/11/26/nyc-skate-history-with-steve-rodriguez/|title=NYC SKATE HISTORY WITH STEVE RODRIGUEZ|date=2011-11-26|website=Jenkem Magazine|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}} In the early 2000s, the city installed pre-fab obstacles to mixed reviews. The locals skaters including Steve Rodriguez received a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation to fix up the obstacles. The LES skatepark went through a complete concrete remodeled in 2012 and now features ledges, jumps, rails and a pyramid. This skate park is unsupervised. No bikes are allowed; inline skates are permitted.
The 2012 redesign was led by Rodriguez with funding from Nike SB.{{cite web |title=LES Coleman Skatepark NYC {{!}} newyorkcityskateparks.com |url=http://newyorkcityskateparks.com/lesmanhattanbridge.html |website=newyorkcityskateparks.com}} In 2017, the artist Barbara Kruger created an installation at the park which featured Kruger's signature bold text on ramps, rails, and walls with slogans like “WANT IT. NEED IT. BUY IT.” and “THE GLOBE SHRINKS FOR THOSE WHO OWN IT.”{{cite web |last1=Chiaverina |first1=John |title=No Uncool Jokers Here: Barbara Kruger Debuts Installation at Manhattan Skate Park |url=http://www.artnews.com/2017/11/03/no-uncool-jokers-here-barbara-kruger-debuts-installation-at-les-skate-park/ |website=ARTnews |date=3 November 2017}} The installation is no longer visible.
In 2019, Steve Rodriguez and Adidas Skateboarding hosted a Go Skateboarding Day event at the park. The following day Rodriguez and Red Bull Skate hosted a best trick contest at the park with Jamie Foy.{{cite web |title=Go Skateboarding Day & NYC Best Trick with Torey Pudwill, Jamie Foy & More {{!}} RED BULL DROP IN TOUR {{!}} Red Bull Skateboarding |url=https://dailyskatetube.com/video/go-skateboarding-day-nyc-best-trick-with-torey-pudwill-jamie-foy-more-red-bull-drop-in-tour-red-bull-skateboarding/ |website=Dailyskatetube.com}}
{{Commons category|Coleman Playground}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Lower East Side, Manhattan}}
{{Protected areas of New York City}}