011 Skatepark: Edenvales Olympic Training Hub for Joburg's Youth |
How Dean Backos transformed an abandoned park into South Africas only Olympic level skate facility |
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As the sun streams through the hand‑made arched windows onto the checkered tiles in the chill room, wheels scrape concrete outside in quick, rhythmic bursts. A kid no older than 12 flies up a ramp that dwarfs him, cheered on by his friends. Across the park, another skater lands clean, smiles, and runs his board back to start again.
This is 011 Skatepark in Edenvale, just east of Joburg. Part workshop, part training facility, part creative commons, and for many, a kind of family.
The Only Way a Skatepark Can Work
On weekends, 011 Skatepark comes alive with an easy democracy. Pros glide past beginners. Friends lounge on the steps and at the café. Graffiti artists practice their tags. People gather for park clean‑ups.
“The only way a skatepark can work is if it is collaborative,” says Dean Backos, who runs the park. “Everybody has to feel welcome and get involved.”
Open until 21:00 most days, the park offers Joburg’s youth a safe, outdoor space to hang out, socialise, and stay active, far from malls or clubs. Visitors can hire boards and gear or book lessons.
From Soweto to the Olympics
Backos secured the lease from the council and has worked tirelessly to revamp the space: building sponsored ramps, planting fruit trees, crafting arched windows, and creating the country’s first girl‑run skate shop.
The Johannesburg Skate Club, founded by Backos and Sharne Jacobs of Girls Skate South Africa, mentors kids from Alexandra and Soweto, connecting them to opportunities that didn’t exist a decade ago. 011 is one of just three skateparks in South Africa registered with Roller Sport South Africa, and the only one in Gauteng fit for Olympic‑level training.
One of the skaters, Omphile Mashila, has qualified for funding from the Olympic Solidarity Fund to attend athlete development programmes. “Omphile is proof of what is possible,” Backos says. “From the streets of Soweto to the Olympic Solidarity Fund. That is what we are building here.”
More Than Just a Skatepark
011 has evolved into a hub of creativity and community. The park hosts market days, live gigs, festivals, and graffiti workshops with names like Leigh Leroux, Tapz, and Bias.
It can also be booked for birthday parties, photo shoots, and events. Recently, the skatepark even hosted a music video shoot.
What You Need to Know
“If kids cannot feel safe, there is no point,” Backos says. “It is a community collective rather than a skatepark. It needs to benefit the whole community.” |
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