To Do: Grand Opening for Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark

Be sure to scope these preview photos of the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark…

Fasten your grip tape and polish those trucks, all you skaters. Finally, there’s a place to grind the rails and carve up the bowls without the cops busting your balls. That’s right, the city’s first skate park, located along the Buffalo Bayou, opens up to the public this Sunday.

Named after two of its most generous donors, the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark is a 30,000 square-foot skater’s paradise, featuring the largest known cradle in the world. And to kick off the grand opening, the City of Houston is rolling out the red carpet to a host of the sports’ top pros, including World Cup champion Benji Galloway, Lance Mountain and Steve “Salba” Alba. Independent Trucks has also put Houston on its national tour and is bringing 17 riders to help christen the new park.

Located at the corner of Memorial Drive and Sabine Street Bridge with a view of the city’s skyline, the park opens with a 1 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Bill White, and the festivities roll along until 5 p.m. Attendees will get the chance to try out the new park for themselves and watch the pros jam as local DJs spin records to keep everyone in the mood. In addition, local aerosol artists will display their work on five large panels placed along “Skater Alley,” the walkway between Sabine Street and the park’s entrance. The panels will be there for the next six months, but don’t miss the additional live urban art demonstration scheduled for opening day. – Chris Vogel