The Bro Bowl has been around since the late 1970's. Rumor has it that it was originally a duck pond that was later drained to make the skate park. For many years, it was surrounded by housing projects, and was a dangerous place to be. The projects are now gone, and a newer park with a playground, basketball court, and pavilion surrounds the Bowl. The site is well-known nationally and was the subject of a recent documentary, "The Bro Bowl: 30 Years of Tampa Concrete."
On any given Sunday afternoon, you’ll find a party there. People bring grills, coolers, and chairs. They skate, eat, drink, and commune. They talk about the history of the Bowl, speculate about its future, trade skating tips and tricks, and just generally hang out.
Tampa has a respected skateboarding community and responsibility for the Bowl is shared. One group of friends call themselves the Bowl Bros and act as volunteer caretakers. They skate here regularly, almost every day; but they also bring brooms to sweep out pine needles, additional wooden ramps to add height to the steep sides, and a true love for both skateboarding and the Bro Bowl.
That same love for the sport and the community is what started the "Boards for Bros" program. In the beginning, organizers collected used skateboards and equipment, refurbished it for use, and then distributed the gear to local children -the really local children who'd gathered to watch skaters, but who never had boards of their own- at Christmastime. From that organic beginning, the program has grown annually and now channels new and used skateboards to children in Tampa and abroad. It's a moving testament to the strength of character and community that this "outlaw" sport can create.
I have visited the Bro Bowl twice now, and there are two major things that strike me about it. The first is the community. How many places can you go in Tampa and just strike up a conversation with a random stranger who doesn’t give you a weird look? People share their food and drinks, they congratulate each other on good runs, and they help out the new kids.
The other thing that strikes me is that people will skate the bowl on anything with wheels. Besides skateboards, I saw scooters, longboards, bikes, and downhill racing boards. I even heard rumors of someone that shows up on roller skates. By the end of my first visit, I knew I had to go back and try it myself.
When I went back, I brought my bike (a hybrid road/trail bike) and decided to jump right in. And boy, did I. Let’s just say my bike survived unscathed, but I did not. However, the feeling of tearing around the Bowl, up the walls, and over the moguls was exhilarating, and with a better-suited bike, I fully intend to try it again…and again…and again.
Despite everything, the Bro Bowl's future is uncertain. There is a new housing project under construction and authorities are threatening to remove the bowl, possibly relocating it to another area nearby. Even if it reopened elsewhere, a tremendous part of Tampa's history and youth culture would be lost forever.
So, if you’re ever downtown near Laurel and Orange, stop by the Bro Bowl. Bring something – anything – with wheels on it. Maybe bring something to share. I promise you’ll have a blast, learn a trick or two, and might even make some new friends.
Learn more:
http://www.boardsforbros.com/b4b/main.htm
Top photo by Paul Schmitt
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