Blade Park: A Legacy of Love and Fingerboarding
Some say {that a} pet leaves a paw print in your coronary heart, however for me, my cat Blade left a whole legacy. Blade wasn’t simply any cat—she was my companion, my little gray and white shadow, and one of the playful souls to have ever graced my life.
She cherished to chase fingerboards, swatting them throughout the ground with the precision of a seasoned professional. It was as if she knew, deep down, that she belonged in our world of skating, even when her board was solely three inches lengthy.
Blade got here into my life, alongside along with her sibling Critter, as a present from my good good friend Jay Addison. Jay, the person with the golden voice, was greater than only a good friend—he was the grasp of ceremonies for our first-ever Blade Fingerjam, an occasion that set the inspiration for fingerboarding in our group. He elevated the scene along with his power, making each trick and each run really feel just like the X Video games of miniature skateboarding.
That first Fingerjam was a milestone, drawing over 60 rivals, each as hyped as the subsequent. As a tribute to Blade’s love for the game, we even gave away 20 particular Blade Fingerboards that includes a graphic of her enjoying with a fingerboard. It was a celebration of her spirit and of the group she unknowingly helped form.
Blade was with me for 14 unbelievable years. When she handed, it left a void that solely those that’ve misplaced a pet really perceive. However I’ve at all times believed that grief may be reworked into one thing lovely.
Similar to with my previous pets—Spike the Cat, my hanging tuxedo boy, and Critter, who even has her personal pro-model board—I wished to honor Blade’s reminiscence in a approach that may stay on past my sorrow. That’s how Blade Park got here to be.
I constructed Blade Fingerboard Park in order that her playful spirit would by no means be forgotten. “In the event you construct it, they are going to come,” I assumed. And are available they did. What began as a tribute grew to become a hub, a group, a spot the place fingerboarders of all ranges might collect, create, and share their ardour. Blade’s legacy continued by means of each kickflip, grind, and unattainable trick that came about on these ramps.
To at the present time, her poster watches over the park, reminding us all that she was there from the very begin. The spirit of Blade Park isn’t nearly fingerboarding—it’s about giving again. Entry to the park is straightforward: when you can afford it, carry cat meals. Each donation goes to native animal shelters just like the SPCA, guaranteeing that different animals in want get the love and care they deserve. That’s the form of constructive karma Blade would have wished.
At CalStreets Boarder Labs, our love for animals is a part of our id. From the sandwich board exterior to the until inside, our cats have at all times been part of our store. Through the years, we’ve welcomed not simply cats, however lizards, hedgehogs, canines, and even a rooster or two. Our store isn’t simply pet-friendly—it’s pet-celebrating.
Blade Park stands as a testomony to the influence that one little cat had on a whole group. Via her, we constructed one thing that has lasted over a decade, and that can proceed to develop. Her story is woven into each ramp, each trick, and each second of pleasure that occurs in that house. And so long as there are fingerboarders rolling, Blade’s reminiscence will preserve driving proper together with them.
Thanks all to your unwavering help, for protecting Blade’s spirit alive, and for being part of this journey with me. Your kindness, recollections, and shared ardour imply greater than phrases can specific. It’s due to this unbelievable group that Blade’s legacy continues to thrive, and I’m deeply grateful to each one among you for being right here. With heartfelt appreciation, Rick Tetz.
