Written and Photographed by Cristina Byrne
Paul Hunter and I met at a parking lot of a shopping center somewhere in South Huntsville. I got out of the car, probably looking confused, "I am sorry I should have told you what this looks like," he says with a bit of a laugh. We went through a broken gate where there was a giant area with a slab of concrete. Not sure exactly what was there before.
"This is it!" He tells me.
It was a DIY Skate Park, and among the skate community it is referred to as the "Southside DIY and Southside Ditch." There was definitely evidence that people came here to skate. "There is another DIY skate spot that I wanted to take you to, but I didn't want to give away the location with photos," he tells me. "That's fair," I responded.
Paul Hunter is the founder of the new Huntsville skate chapter called Brittle Bones Brigade (aka BBB). "It's a group of adults who want to be part of a community and learn something new, without intimidation," Hunter tells me. Brittle Bones Brigade skate group originally started in Birmingham Alabama by Josh Sigler in 2022. A group that has inspired people around the world, and one of those people was Paul Hunter.
Hunter grew up nowhere near a skatepark but got his first skateboard for Christmas in the 5th grade when he began skating. He stopped in the 9th grade after several friends stopped skating and he began exploring other interests. "I started becoming more “seriously” interested in skating earlier this year and was spending more and more time watching skating clips on social media. And, that’s when I came across a viral video about an “adult beginner” skateboarding group based in Birmingham," Hunter tells me.
Before Hunter even purchased a skateboard, he reached out to Josh about starting a chapter in Huntsville. A few emails were exchanged, and Josh provided Paul with an ingredient list of how to set up the new chapter. With proximity to the home base, Josh agreed that Huntsville should be the first “official” BBB chapter.
"I plan to serve as a chapter underneath the Birmingham group and mirror exactly what Josh and those Birmingham members have created," Hunter says. "I plan to organize meetups Wednesday nights and "all ages" Saturday mornings, as the new Kids Space playground will be available to skaters that can bring their kids with them," Hunter explains.
South Huntsville is home to a brand-new skate park at John Hunt Park that opened on September 23rd. The project is a tribute to the city’s original Get-A-Way Skate Park which opened in 1979. The new facility is 52,000 square feet and includes custom-made bowls, snake runs, a three-quarter pipe, and a street plaza. He told me he has heard from people online about how ready they are for the new Get-A-Way to open so that we can have meetups. He also told me some are interested in overcoming fears and anxieties, some are looking to meet people, some are looking to learn something new, and some are even offering coaching and mentoring to new skaters.
"Finding a community where you fit can sometimes be difficult as an adult," he says. "What I have seen in the past three months is that the existing skating community in Huntsville is already nothing short of amazing. Many talented skaters of all ages are willing to share tips and resources for those who want to learn. I think BBB members will find themselves sharing the skatepark with skaters of all levels, and that there is no reason to be intimidated," Hunter explains.
Hunter told me that skating is a form of therapy because it completely distracts him from things that have troubled him in years past. "Skating has truly made such a difference in my mental and physical well-being. With a clear head, I can be a better husband, father, friend - and, be better to myself. Also, my kids see how motivated I am to learn something new and they want to also be a part of that. My wife, our three girls, and I all have something we can bond over daily. It's just become bigger than my understanding and I hope we can continue holding onto it.”
Brittle Bones Brigade weekly meet-ups are on Wednesday Nights from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Paul Hunter is a 3rd generation Huntsvillian who grew up in the Gurley/Ryland area. He now lives in south Huntsville with his wife and three wonderful daughters, ages 12, 8, and 5.
