Kent-West, next to West Fenwick Park, has mixed feelings about it. It has a 3 bowl clover, one 2'-3', one 4', one 7'-8' deep. The transitions flow down from the little to big bowl, which is a major problem (lose speed trying to go back up). What's wrong with it? The little bowl is useless. It's a mellow 2'-3' deep bowl with pinner coping. The 4' bowl is a slightly enlarged version of Little Kent's super steep bowl. It also has pinner coping. The 7'-8' bowl... pinner coping, but skateboarders still love to carve it up and I personally like handplanting it. The "pimple," a bad imitation of those found in Ashland and Jacksonville, and the funbox looks like a cross between the one at North Bend and the one at Everett. The only difference is that you can't jump it (ugh) but you can grind it (yeah!). The bulkheads are nice, and there are a couple of usable rails, including one right out of the edge of the smaller bowl. There are two hips with no kick (ugh), and a badly assembled spine between the large and small bowl (ugh). There is a vert extension in the middle bowl, but it's no good. Great ideas, some bad assembly, but definitely worth a stop. It's better than the little Kent and Des Moines.
Water: Yes
Bathrooms: Yes
Landscape: Open on one side, trees on other side, metal art stuff
Other: West Fenwick park across the street (playground, baseball, soccer, etc.)
Coping: Sunk in, grindable in a few select areas
Jumps: Weird transitions, can be fun if you can get used to the park
Crowds: Usually okay, bikes banned (enforced), often packed
Specials: Nothing really, weird transitions
Directions:
From I-5: Take Kent-Des Moines exit, take a left down the hill. At the stop lights at the bottom, take a right (Meeker St.) and go up that hill until you get to a light (3 way). Take a left and the park is on your immediate left.
From Kent-Kangley: Follow Kent-Kangley until it turns into Smith St. Stay on it through downtown Kent until it passes the little Kent park and winds around into Meeker St. Stay on this street all the way to the lights past Riverbend Golf Course. Go straight up the hill until you reach a three way stop and take a left. Park will be on your immediate left.
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