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My Spot: San Francisco's SoMa West Skate Park

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Andrew Shusterman (L) and professional skateboarder Greyson Fletcher skate SoMa West. (Justin Richmond/KQED)

For Oakland resident Andrew Shusterman, a social media manager at NHS Skateboard distribution, any chance to get back to his roots and jump on a skateboard is a welcome return to youth and passion.

That’s why he has developed a special connection to his "spot" — the newly built SoMa West skate park in San Francisco.

“This is the first really gnarly, amazing skate park San Francisco has ever had,” says Shusterman. “Usually I come to skate parks once every two or three weeks, but this park’s so great I find myself here once a week and sometimes, if not, more.”

SoMa’s location at the end of San Francisco’s Mission District, under a busy freeway overpass that connects Interstate 80 to Highway 101, provides a uniquely San Franciscan ambiance that Shusterman revels in.

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“I have a car but I always choose to take BART here,” says Shusterman, favoring the more urban aesthetic. “I like the journey to get here.”

The journey, and the fun of the park, provide a perfect weekend getaway for Shusterman and his friends, who frequent the park Friday evenings after work.

“It’s just a transition from work to fun," he says.

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