Support your local Loigu !

April 12, 2023

Jeremy Vaask

words and photos by Nicolas Bouvy

In around 2018 a dozen of skate renegades decided they had too much, enough with the general vision of our official governance regarding the public skatepark designs. Their persistence in doing it wrong... The group of friends felt the urge to have their own skate wonderland in Tallinn, a place designed, built and run by the skaters themselves. No compromises! That's a word you find only in the vocabulary of the weak, the ones who have lost faith in the fight. The Loigu squad had no more time left to waste, and after a long quest of looking for their own canopy, they miraculously found a huge factory facility, managing to strike a rental deal with the owner. Since the place is located in the Kopli Liinid hood on Pardiloigu (Duck Puddle) street, they just called it Loigu. Why melt your neurons when the place already has the right name?

Kristo Õismets

Starting from there, they headed out gathering leftover wood, and transitions here and there… no more hard times with finding a place to skate, during our long soppy winters. The sessions were on! The street course was up real fast. Later on, in March 2019, after a successful fundraiser to gather money for a mini-ramp, wood was bought and two weeks later it was ready for wild sessions.

Jaagup Mägi

Siim Sild

However, Loigu still needed some help with funds. Since the heaviest baggage for a skateboarder is an empty purse, they organized another event to raise extra cash last week, as a VLND burger evening party. And also some time ago, when they released some screen printed Loigu decks.

The Loigu deck, they are sold out, so already a collector one!

On the guest side, the Antiz team came to Tallinn and crashed at Loigu for a few nights during their European tour. Another fun fact, Loigu had a great collab with the US Embassy. They had a visit from Lizzie Armanto and Ben Hatchell who didn’t come to splash about the puddle in their wellies but were ripping the place like you’d imagine they can, and shared their kindness with the locals. Other ripping guests during the years have been Madars Apse, a close neighbour, and skaters like Bjørn Lillesøe, Søren Noe and Jonas “Ginger” Bünger.

Jaagup Mägi and Meelis Erm, double the fun

Maik Grüner

Now, like a thorn in one’s flesh, money issues are back. The Loigu crew got busy with finding help with their rent, harder than ever. As a result, several local companies showed interest in helping out. But the guys are still on the lookout for additional goodhearted companies and individuals to give them support.

Nils-Eerik Vesberg

Meelis Erm

To keep this unique place in the urban landscape, we might need to throw them a little more love and help. So do send them support, ask how you can help. Contact them thru their social media.

https://www.instagram.com/loigupark/

As they never stop to mull over the future… something which is still a dream at the moment… but wouldn’t be Loigu the right place for a big bowl? Unrealistic financially for now but future is always full of surprises, who knows… They never give up on running the park and give it so much time and energy – and that’s why we need to support them as well!!