Keith Marsden is a caring father who was concerned about the lack of good skateboarding facilities available for his young son, and recognised the need for somewhere for young people to practise their sport, and decided to do something about it.

'"It's not enough to just build a skate park and then leave kids to it", says Keith. "You need to engage the youngsters in the project so they can go on to enjoy it.

You need role models, mentors and buddies in place to keep the thing going. Otherwise the kids get bored and crime sets in".

Keith Marsden - the inspiration behind Epic.

Epic opened in 2002 in the old bus garage in Moseley.

It's certainly got skate style - from the outside it looks derelict - inside isn't much better - but then a good skate park doesn't need shagpile carpet and gloss paint.

Keith Marsden was a marketing consultant with a top firm and living in Suffolk. His teenage son Will was crazy about skateboarding, and Keith took time out to take Will to various skate parks.

Research trips to the USA

He was amazed at the poor quality and filthy state of the facilities he saw, and recognised the need for something better for this popular sport.

So he decided to do something about it and started with research trips to America - the mecca of skateboarding.

He looked at the design and culture of boarding in general, and sought the advice of US experts along with the opinions of his teenage son and friends.

The next step was to find the right venue in the UK. Keith looked at potential sites all over the country and knew he'd got it right when he came across the Moseley building.

Desperate to get in

Birmingham was the largest significant UK city with the poorest quality skateparks. The empty Moseley bus garage ticked all the boxes, right down to good public transport access.

So the Marsden family packed up and moved from Suffolk to the Midlands.

Adam and Simon use the skate park. "It keeps kids off the streets, they say.

Even while the site was being prepared Keith said youngsters couldn't wait to get in.

"The place was ankle deep in pigeon muck and we had a heck of job to get it in a respectable state.

We'd find kids using the ramps in the building even before it was finished and open to the public - they just couldn't stay away".

The Moseley park was mapped out by two expert designers, - one from California, the other from Europe.

Buddies and mentors

The zones in the park are for everyone from beginners to professionals. The site is for BMX and inline skaters too. And the park boasts the biggest half pipe in Europe.

Epic now has 10,000 members - (note there are only about 100 girls - come on girls!)

There's a café, shop, loos, gig stage, and even a mini cinema for showing skate films. Epic has its own buddies and mentors to be onhand for young boarders, as well as qualified first aiders.
Staff at Epic are low key, and supervision is understated.

Bob teaches at Epic

The skate culture itself involves older more experienced boarders looking out for younger ones, and adhereing to unwritten rules about respect. And Keith knows that.

Bob Town, from Sutton, is just 16 and teaches boarding at Epic.

"It's a great skate park because there's always something different to do. It's difficult to get bored here".

Healthy culture

Keith saw that in some skate parks kids would do everything they knew on a skateboard and were stuck after 30 minutes. At Epic they offer youngsters the chance to progress and try something new, developing their skills.

It's a good philosophy, and it works. If people are concerned about getting kids off the street and tackling obesity with exercise, they'd find inspiration at Epic.

Managed properly, the skateboarding phenomenon tackles and wins over lots of social issues.

"Etiquette exists in skateboarding. It's impressive to witness - it's about having a natural respect for each other. It doesn't deserve its reputation for being hardcore and anarchic", says Keith.

"Etiquette exists in skateboarding- it's not hardcore and anarchic".

The skate park is great value for a day out. You can hire gear from the park, even get a lesson.

Tony Hawk in Moseley in July!!

Keith runs all-nighters from time to time, and this summer is running a fantastic Skate School with all-day sessions involving lessons, skate movies and free-skating. Summer school is £15 a day, or £50 a week.

The summer school is being launched on July 5th by the most famous boarder on the planet - American Tony Hawk. Hawk earns more in his sport than Mr Beckham does in his. And that's going some.

If you'd like to know more or get involved in Epic skating or attend the summer school, details are on the left.

Will's dad is a hero

With a supercool dad who's now an expert in boarding and has set up the best venue in Europe, Will Marsden must be the most popular boy in school…..