Editing LOVE Park (section)

== Skateboarding Era ==

LOVE Park became internationally famous in the skateboarding community during the 1990s and 2000s, when its granite surfaces, steps, and ledges attracted skaters who transformed the plaza into one of the world's most celebrated skateboarding spots. The park's architectural features provided terrain for tricks; its urban setting provided cultural authenticity that purpose-built skateparks lacked. Professional skaters came from around the world to perform and film at LOVE Park, making it central to skateboarding's identity during a formative period.<ref name="hine"/>

This skateboarding fame generated tension with city officials, who viewed the activity as incompatible with the plaza's intended purposes and damaging to its physical fabric. A 2002 ban on skateboarding, enforced with varying degrees of success, ended the park's official role as skateboarding destination while fueling debates about public space, youth culture, and urban governance. The ban disappointed the skateboarding community while doing little to improve the plaza's physical condition or attract alternative uses.<ref name="gallery"/>