De Yard Utrecht

The Kruisvaartterrein is a public space better known to the local skateboarders of Utrecht as ‘De Yard’. A previously dilapidated concrete terrain basically situated on the doorstep of Utrecht central station.

Photo cred: Pierre Banoori 2018

In 2013 Noble Goods Co. and its counterparts initiated the process of reconstructing de Yard into a DIY styled skate spot. With support from the public, Noble Goods Co. established a body of committed individuals dedicated to the administration of transforming De Yard into a skate spot.

The efforts of this initiative have led to the following:

• De Yard became a skate spot (Opening July 2017)
• A successful crowdfunding was established to fund the building of the obstacles at the skate spot
• The owner of the area (NS Stations) has granted temporary permission to use the area.

During 2003-2007 De Yard was the most popular skate spot in The Netherlands , foreign international and professional skateboarders frequented this area during this time which brought an abundance of value to the environment.

In 2007 the concrete turf got demolished, ending all skate activity until 2013 when the initiative of bringing back De Yard started.