Update June 16

A legend in skateboarding,, Mark Hubbard passed away on June 9 prompting a wave of grief and shock in the tightly knit community around skateboarding. A GoFundMe page was set up to ease the financial burden of his loss and was nearly 1/3 of the way to the $100,000 goal. Thrasher Magazine posted a video and comments on it reflect how strongly people felt about his skills as a skateboarder, builder, and skateboard park visionary. A public memorial service is being organized now for June 22, from 2 to 6pm at one of the parks built by his company, the Delridge Skatepark at 414 SW Genesee St, Seattle, WA 98106.

Original Post June 10

Mark Hubbard, who founded Grindline Skateparks in West Seattle has died. He was 47 years old.

Westside Seattle profiled the company in 2011 as they were building a skatepark on Delridge Way SW. It was a homecoming of sorts for Hubbard and company who built a worldwide enterprise. The company with humble beginnings went on to build two dozen skateparks in Washington state plus some in Minnesota, Texas, Oregon, and outside the U.S in Israel, Okinawa, Denmark and more.

Hubbard began his career by building plywood ramps and was one of those responsible for building the first unauthorized skating bowl under the Schmitz Park Bridge in 1990. He started skateboarding when he was five years old in 1975. "When I was six I had like three boards" he said.

"The first ramp I ever built was in 1984 on 38th and Charlestown in my driveway. It was an eight foot quarter pipe. But then I built ramps all over the city even up in Everett."

The cause of his death was not released but he died at his home in West Seattle. Hubbard is survived by his wife and three children.