The year was 98, or maybe it was 99. An old friend, Andrew Trotter called me about a spot he had found. A pristine, untouched undercover 8 stair at A Secondary School in Glen Waverly.
Had I known that this phone call would lead to me spending a large portion of my wet weekends for the next 10 years at this school I may have not have answered. Since Andrew lived in Vermont, it basically became known as Vermont 8. A misleading name that would lead many a young skate rat astray as they searched (in the rain) the schools of the wrong suburb for the illustrious wet weather spot.
It soon became the default setting spot for wet weather sessions between 99-2009 and has always been a favourite when someone wanted to push the stair count of a certain flip trick. Somehow the design was just right and unless the rain was coming down sideways & in sheets, the breezeway provided just the right amount of cover to keep your board and feet dry. But as you’ll see in most of the clips, there are always puddles at the top at bottom.
This is by no means all the tricks that went down. In fact I don’t think I filmed anything there between 2009-2018. It kinda maxed out on the ABD’s and it wasn’t until Shane O’Neill bought out the switch double big flip that it made a resurgence. Once again, Vermont delivered.
Rumours have been circulating recently that it was gone as the school was having renovations. I needed to confirm, so this time I called Trotter who still lives out that way. His reply – ‘ Give me 45 minutes, ill be in touch” – sure enough 45 minutes later I got a thumbs with photographic evidence that she still there and 100% skateable.
CHRIS MIDDLEBROOK
