Entering its third decade of existence, the Hillyard Skatepark has long been a magnet for skaters from around the city thanks to the community that it fosters, the history it holds and, of course, the features of the park itself.
The park is known for its long, undulating snake-like run, which caters to transition skaters who carve around or air out above the 12,000-square-foot space.
Vance Rios and Daniel Kinne, two regulars at Paradigm Skate Supply (another Best Of winner this year), speak highly of the park.
"You can go in a circle and get your carve on and stuff. It's cool because you see bicycle people there, they're airing out, too," Rios says.
Built in 2003, Hillyard's park was one of the first dedicated skateparks in the city. Both Rios and Kinne credit its age for helping build the skate community in Spokane. Before Hillyard, the only other option of similar size was the now-demolished Under the Freeway (also known simply as UTF) skatepark under the I-90 overpass at McClellan Street.
Designed by Seattle's Grindline Skateparks, the park's many drop-ins, quarter-pipes and bowls are known as some of the more challenging around.
"It's just insane how people can skate Hillyard," says Rios, who considers himself more of a street skater.
"It's really good for transition skating," Kinne adds. "It is for the lesser level of what Tony Hawk does. Bowls, half pipes or pipes, that kind of stuff. It's got that and it's got some pretty intense features for that there."
You could actually ask the great Tony Hawk himself about the challenges of Hillyard, as the World Champion skateboarder brought his tour there back in 2012 for a show in front of hundreds of fans.
While that was 12 years ago now, and nine years after the park debuted, Hillyard isn't showing its age. Lighting was added in the years since Hawk's visit, and just last summer the concrete saw a new paint job.
It may be the oldest around, but Hillyard's been voted as the best yet again.
— WILL MAUPIN
2nd PLACE: Joe Albi/Dwight Merkel Skatepark
3rd PLACE: Riverfront Skate & Wheels Park
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Coeur d'Alene Skatepark
