It’s more than just a museum; it’s a piece of Saskatchewan history.
Bruce Tucker created the Saskatoon Skateboard Museum this month in hopes of preserving Saskatchewan’s skateboard history and bringing its community together.
“It’s for the youth to see a part of skateboarding history, and for us old guys to have something to remember our youth,” he said.
The museum is located where the Totally Rad skatepark used to be in the 1980s. Today, that location is the home of Tucker’s T Shirts, where retro skateboards line the upstairs walls.
Some boards are from people who used to skate on those ramps, while others were found at vintage stores or given to Tucker through community members and friends.
The museum holds boards that date back to the 1960s, Tucker explained, as he pointed to one on the wall. It was handcrafted by a man from Prince Albert.
“Apparently he designed this board in the ’60s. It’s one of the first skateboards out there, and it’s hand-built here in Saskatchewan,” Tucker explained.
News articles from 40 years ago about Saskatchewan’s skateboarding community are also integrated on the museum walls.
Skateboarding is a personal passion of Tucker, who has been doing it for as long as he remembers.
“I love skateboarding, it’s the best thing in the world,” he said. “It’s a healthy outlet, and you get to hang out with your buddies.”
On June 24, the museum had its grand opening bringing in around 100 people. Tucker said people also signed a petition to open up an indoor skatepark in the city.