In the late 1970s, there were some enterprising parents from Pittsburgh who became the co-owners of the New Wave skatepark, and their daughters Cindie Squilla (Bonomi) and Rae Squilla (Keane), and son Paul Squilla benefitted from the opportunity.
Rae said “my parents were part owners [of New Wave]. I sort of recall that it cost $250,000 to build (a lot back in 1978!), and then the economy tanked. Plus the concrete was poured with bad transitions. The guys doing the concrete were used to doing curb cuts on roads, and wouldn’t listen when they were told to make more gradual slopes…” According to the skatepark pamphlet there was a pro shop where you could buy gear, as well as a snack canteen for slush puppies and games room with “pinball, computer and TV games.”
Rae and Paul also got the opportunity to go to the Apple Skatepark in Ohio in 1978, tracking down autographs from Brad Bowman, Steve Olson, Fred Blood and Bert LaMar, as well, an autograph from Denny Riordon of Team Pepsi who visited New Wave.
Photos: Cindie is age 23 skating the New Wave, figuring out some lines
Apparently, the park, located on 340 Regis Ave West Mifflin, opened in late summer of 1978 and closed quickly after only a single season. There is an old video from 1979 of a demo being performed at New Wave on YouTube where you can get a sense of the layout with its huge snake run and bowls.
The kids in Pittsburgh would have to revert to their DIY obstacles, but there’s a Facebook page dedicated to the park where folks can share their skateboarding memories. And there was a period in time when skaters could jump the fence (which might explain the photos circa 1983 online) to skate the forbidden terrain until it was turned into a go-cart track.
Womxn Skateboard History 