WRITTEN BY: BERTO
When you look at her-you can’t help but feel a sense of wonder and awe. She’s not a DIY. Not a back alley spot. Not a pre-fab. Definitely not a skatepark. The Big O was literally built for pedestrians as they entered Montreal Stadium back in ‘76. It took skateboarders to see the possibilities and maximize them. In that regard-The Big O is as perfect a spot one could ever dream of. She’s beautiful!
When the stadium plans were released to renovate, she was (put your finger and thumb together) that close to being gone. Through the hard work of Barry Walsh, Marc Tison, Jazzy AKA Jeff Edwards, and a host of others in their community- it was agreed to move (if you can believe this!) a 175 ton 8’ tall structure appx. 25 meters to safety for the benefit of skaters!
A HUGE shoutout to Montreal Impact owner Joey Saputo for believing in them and doing what he had to do to help. Your contribution will forever be appreciated by skaters everywhere.
This interview-I’m so hyped on being able to speak to the three skaters I just mentioned. They did everything in their power to save their spot, they made an impact (literally). Not only did they make their mark locally, but they made it globally. For Montreal. For Canada. Props!
For those that still don’t know or realize… The Big O is not just a world famous skatespot-it is Thee Crown Jewel of Canadian skateboarding. The Big O Bastards are largely responsible for saving her.
FRANK 151: When I say… the Big O. What’s the first thing that comes to mind?
MARC: Tunnel Vision.
JAZZY: When I think of the Big O, one word comes to mind-Freedom. You’ve just stepped into another realm where any stress or issues you might be facing in life don’t apply. Every session at the Big O is similar to the feeling you get when you discover a killer backyard pool. The excitement and challenge never goes away.
BARRY: Unique. One of a kind. 100% natural tunnel dangerously good for skateboarding and unforgiving aged concrete.
MARC: Well I guess the Olympics started 17th July 1976, so that could be the official date but whatever, everything we do is in contrast with that vibe. The Montreal Impact soccer team was set to build a stadium 100ft. away from the tunnel so we had to at least try to prevent her demise. A lot of energy went into saving it. Probably a year or two of telling our story and explaining the importance of such a gem to skateboarding. TV news interviews, radio interviews, newspapers, etc. We had connects, we used them wisely.
All the locals at the time were very engaged in the process. Also online petitions, always with a positive vibe, never showing any disgruntled vibes, solid poker face. So, the Olympic installations and Joey Saputo, realizing how much this place meant to our culture, were down to save it from being destroyed. A real David and Goliath story. Everybody won.
JAZZY: Saving the pipe from being destroyed involved a lot of back and forth with the community at first, town hall meetings, media interviews, etc. Ultimately it was Joey Saputo’s genius decision to save the pipe by moving the 175 ton structure down the hill. The Saputo company acquired the rights to this section of the grounds to construct the soccer stadium. Joey understood our passion and the importance the Big O held to the skate community on a global level.
BARRY: Safeguarding the Big O from destruction took a really positive turn when Marc managed to get a Big O Pipe Fiends book to the owner of the soccer team who took a moment to visually absorb the book. Quickly realizing how culturally important the spot was to the Montreal skate community. He called a meeting and announced that the structure would be saved rather than destroyed. I’d say it took about a year for things to start becoming a reality and the big move was scheduled to become a reality.
MARC: Some people probably rolled through it in the 70s but it wasn’t ideal yet for skating since there was a thick track rubber in the flat bottom and about a foot up the transitions. But in the early 80s the local Hochelaga skaters started peeling the rubber off slowly but surely making it perfectly rideable. Big shout out to all the pioneers.
JAZZY: The first dudes to skate it were a handful of years older than us. They started in the 80s. There was definitely a good number of guys. Normand Roy and Louis Corbeil, I remember were ripping airs, inverts, foot plants, grinds, and rock slides when we first started going in 86.
BARRY: Started skating Big O in 86/87. The first locals that I know of started in 83/84. Back when it was covered in rubber till they started peeling it off. Now, it’s frantically fast as fuck.
MARC: So many amazing sessions, Tom Penny and the Flip team was a sick one. Skating with Daewon was mind blowing, a true wizard. Ville was so dope too. Honestly, too many good ones to name them all but the favorite session was with the 5Boro team, Steve Rodriguez and Pensyl, Willy, Luke, the whole crew, we vibed so well, it was basically a full day of shredding and drinking. Our local can collector said he picked up 115 tall cans. Legendary session. Love those guys. Also, the ACE brederens. Raven Tershay, Tom Remillard, Brandon Perelson, Joey Tershay, and Ron Chatman destroyed it with style and flow-what a crew!
JAZZY: It’s so hard to highlight just one or two stand out sessions as there have been so many incredible skaters and chance encounters with skate legends throughout the years. Seeing Tom Penny kickflip in there, or Daewon’s blunt tre flip fakie. Muska shooting a Shorties ad. Memorable sessions with 5Boro Crew or when Donny Barley would come through, things got heated!
Going back some years, watching Ronnie Sandoval do eggs, or the ACE crew fitting the Big O like a glove, Raven Tershay blowing our wigs with his power, precision, and control! Brandon Perelson and Tom Remillard ripped!!! Man, it would be so rad to see Greyson Fletcher in there, Chris Russell for the raw aggression. Would be sick to have Peter Hewitt, Darren Navarette, and Ben Raybourn come through as well-but the dream situation would have to be Neil Blender. Oh dude, there’s just endless people we’d be so stoked to see rolling in here.
BARRY: So many visiting foreign skaters over the last 40 summers. Definitely a few stood out like Bill Danforth dropping a signature lay back grind or Daewon doing blunt 3flip out! Or when the 5Boro crew threw down and destroyed the place,,, too many styles to flex but one of my all time faves was Raven Tershay and the ACE crew coming through was extra crazy, Raven did insane backside ollies and Indy airs just flowing like water.
MARC: Everyone has a different approach and style, it’s always a pleasure to see someone ride it for the first time. But seein Gonz in there would be such a trip.
JAZZY: Oh dude, there’s just endless people we’d be so stoked to see rolling there.
BARRY: Would love to see Josh Faulk from Portland skate Big O. He just skates raw transitions well and would be interesting to witness his style and approach to it. Neil Heddings, Gonz, Grant Taylor, Ruby Lilley with her brothers Tin and David.
MARC: Chris Nieratko was at my place once and he saw the Big O blueprints and asked if he could get them so he could send to Team Pain to spice up a project. It was for the park in Golden. I wouldn’t call it a replica because it has coping and the escalating lip isn’t there, but it is definitely inspired by the Big O. Pretty cool to see an ode to the Big O. I have never skated it though.
JAZZY: They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, so just the fact that the Ulysses replica in Colorado exists, despite its obvious shortcomings (no curved escalators or concrete lip) is a huge tribute to the impact the Big O has had on skateboarding. Our brother and crew member Chris Dyer was living in Colorado for a while. He sessioned it quite regularly.
BARRY: Seen and heard of the Golden replica. Cool concept only they missed the mark with the steel coping and no curved ledges, and the light boxes in the tunnel. Plus they made it slightly bigger as well. No dis, very cool regardless, just not a legit replica.
MARC: Cedrick Jones was a brother of ours with the most positive vibes, he did Ho-Ho plants at the O with ease, mind blowing! RIP. A lot of fallen friends sadly enough, but Big O-wise the one that hurt the most was our beloved AKIRA, all heart, all soul, and all art.
JAZZY: Unfortunately we have lost a few close homies who are integral to the Big O’s story. Raymond AKIRA Betts was one of the first writers to paint or tag the walls. AKIRA’s unique style, personality, and charisma was infectious. He was also our hype man at many sessions. He loved skateboarding and he loved the Big O.
Cedrick Jones is another fallen pipe local. He had the incredible talent of landing the Big O’s first and as far as we are aware- the only Ho-Ho plant. He stood that shit straight up handstand and back in! Truly incredible.
Just recently we sadly lost our brother Mike Townsend. Mike and Barry met in grade 2 and skated together for years. Mike’s aggressive skating and larger than life persona made him a legend not only in Montreal, but throughout Canada. Mike had no fear and always pushed it past limits. His style defined hesh. He never complied to society’s expectations. He lived wild and free til his last day.
BARRY: We have lost a few pipe lions over the decades. Sadly, Raymond AKIRA Betts was a long time local as far back as 84/85 and he was one of the first to paint and skate and play music at the spot! We carry on a lot of his traditions today at Big O in his honour and memory. Another cat was Cedrick Jones, this cray cray local could do Ho-Hos on anything and everything. Ceddy was a wild card to say the least.
MARC: AKIRA was the soul of the Big O. It was his canvas. Rattle can King. He painted every square inch of the spot over the many decades. All skate related culture, graffiti with style and grace. GANJAH GRINDS FOREVER.
BARRY: AKIRA brought an energy like no other. Just always rockin it with crazy surf lines through the tunnel to painting Haile Selassie’s family with spray paint in the tunnel. He would bring a portable sound system boombox record player and toast over the versions on 7inch records while he would skate. He is the original pipe lion.
MARC: The city takes care of the surroundings, but WE take care of the spot. Keep it clean, Salba sauce the lip, shovel snow out and break ice to be able to get a head start in the spring. I was obsessed with doing this for so long, Felix has been doing most of it lately, he often calls me for tips. He also takes care of keeping relations with the stadium and the borough vibing smoothly. Big Up!!
JAZZY: Since the pipe is sitting on Saputo’s grounds and the public pass alongside it when entering the soccer stadium, the stadium workers keep the area generally clean and manicured to their liking. We take care of whatever bits of gravel/pebbles and, unfortunately, human feces on very few occasions that get left behind by the public.
BARRY: The locals such as Marc and Felix Fresh take regular maintenance clean up and lacquering the lip for the past 30 years.
MARC: It’s all about PMA. Show and prove that you belong there. The importance of the spot and that it is a necessity to the community. A thriving entity that integrates with its surroundings. Do whatever it takes, find the right words, the right vibe. So stoked Steve Rodriguez was able to pull it off for the Brooklyn Banks, legendary save!!
JAZZY: The best advice I have when it comes to saving a spot would be to have people in your crew that just won’t quit. The pipe was not saved by just 2 or 3 passionate skaters. There were dozens of us that called this place home. We all refused to let it go. Community and communication is key if someone holds your spot’s fate. It’s your job to convince them why it’s needed in this world.
BARRY: Advice for saving a spot I would say is to show the history and have good spoken voices to attend meetings as skaters are often not taken seriously in Babylon meetings with city stiffs. Best to have level headed cats with patience to handle that biz. In my crew’s case we had the documented history and organized locals who took their strong points to the meetings, etc. All in all it’s a group effort and expose the history and importance of the spot at best.
MARC: The pioneers that made the Big O what it is today. The people that have passed through leaving their mark and the ones that have it on their bucket list, see you sooner than later. Get some!!
JAZZY: We’d like to give a shout out to anyone who ever had a good thing to say about the pipe. Anyone who ever sat on the concrete and shared a cold drink with us. Really, anyone who contributed to keeping the stoke alive by rolling through the Big O walls. All the skaters that are hyped to spread the love for the Big O. We appreciate you all immensely. We will continue doing our best with Big O Bastards to keep the legacy thriving.
BARRY: Big up all skaters/bmxers that have come through the spot from Joey ice cream to Tom Penny-there are just so many that have rocked the O! Big shout out to the people who fought and saved her, Big O locals, Joey Saputo and his soccer organization, Thrasher for covering the history and recognizing Big O as an epic spot in the book! RIP Jake Phelps, who believed in our skate movement and culture.
Whether we had board sponsors or not, big love to the young Big O killers stepping up with new lines and movements keeping the legacy alive and the fire burning strong. And the bar raised high as people from around the world who have had the chance to skate the spot and know how quick and fast the transitions actually are, and how unforgiving the Big O can be trying to ride it for the first time.
Some will say Big O is “No concrete for old men.”
MARC, JAZZY & BARRY: Thanks Berto and Frank 151!!!!