The latest exhibit at the Pop Cult Museum at PD's Hot Shop in Qualicum Beach follows skateboarding through the decades, from early homemade boards in the 1930s right to the present day. Wheels of Freedom traces the evolution of skate culture, as well as the boards themselves — and how new technology influences the activity and vice versa. While the first commercial boards began to appear in stores in the late 1950s, children had already been making their own skateboards for decades. “A kid, usually the boy in the family, would get into some trouble because he would essentially steal the sister’s roller skates, or take his own roller skates,” said owner Peter Ducommun, better known as PD. “What you would do is disassemble the roller skate and reassemble some of the components onto a wooden piece.” Skateboarding evolved by mimicking surfing and was referred to as "sidewalk surfing" for a time, but by the mid-60s it had begun to step out of the shadow of surfing, with Patti McGee appearing on the cover of Life magazine in 1965 (the exhibit includes a copy). For a lot of children, a skateboard or bicycle offers that first taste of freedom — being able to venture further from home without mom and dad. But with that freedom also came derision from the public — people angry at skateboarders for riding on the sidewalk or trespassing and skating up and down the sloped walls of an empty pool. “In the early days we were told it was wrong and we were bad,” said Ducommun, who began skateboarding in the early 1970s. “When you’re trying to tell somebody, and particularly a young person, that they’re doing something bad and they know they’re not, well that just makes you do it twice as much.” Wider skateboards found popularity in the 70s to provide more stability as skaters became more interested in riding up and down the sides empty pools. “We knew that a swimming pool would be like riding a wave because you’re going up the wall and coming down," Ducommun said. "That was the inspiration for what would become half pipes and then skate park bowls and all of that.” Ducommun's very first board from 1976 is part of the exhibit and can be spotted by a yin yang decal — this was the logo for Great North Country Skateboards, before the name change to Skull Skates, Canada's oldest skateboard company. Humour, irreverence and mockery all became a big part of skater culture, Ducommun said, and one way that was expressed was through skateboard decals. “Skateboarders, we like to mock,” he added. “Happy faces and bright colours, but it was all kind of mockery.” One piece in the exhibit takes aim at the idea of skateboarders competing for awards, including the recent inclusion into the Summer Olympics. Ducommun mounted the body of a decapitated doll onto a football trophy, with a skateboard wheel in place of a head. “It’s more like an art form or a lifestyle,” he said. Skateboarding continues to change and evolve as new generations of skaters are introduced to it. “Every time you think it can’t get any crazier, as far as tricks and techniques and styles of riding, it does," Ducommun said. "But the reason it does is that people are not starting from zero, they’re starting from that whole thing that’s been built.” With work set to begin soon on a new skatepark in Qualicum Beach, Ducommun is optimistic the activity will continue to grow and even attract people to visit the town and check out the new facility. “There’s a whole group of people ready to just come up and really embrace it.” Wheels of Freedom will be at the Pop Cult Museum until March. PD's Hot Shop is located at 164 Second Ave.

The new exhibition at the Pop Cult Museum within PD’s Hot Shop in Qualicum Beach showcases the journey of skateboarding over the years, beginning with primitive handmade boards from the 1930s up until today. Wheels of Freedom charts the progress of skate culture alongside the boards themselves — exploring how advancements in technology modify the sport […]

The new exhibition at the Pop Cult Museum within PD’s Hot Shop in Qualicum Beach showcases the journey of skateboarding over the years, beginning with primitive handmade boards from the 1930s up until today.

Wheels of Freedom charts the progress of skate culture alongside the boards themselves — exploring how advancements in technology modify the sport and are influenced by it in return.

Although commercial boards began appearing in the marketplace in the late 1950s, youngsters had already been crafting their own skateboards for many years prior.

“Typically, a boy in the family would occasionally find himself in a bit of trouble after he effectively borrowed his sister’s roller skates or seized his own,” recounted owner Peter Ducommun, known simply as PD. “What they would do was take apart the roller skate and put together parts on a wooden plank.”

Skateboarding developed by imitating surfing and was once dubbed “sidewalk surfing,” but by the mid-1960s, it began to emerge from surfing’s influence, highlighted by Patti McGee gracing the cover of Life magazine in 1965 (a copy is part of the exhibit).

For numerous kids, a skateboard or bicycle represents that initial sense of independence — the ability to explore further from home without parents nearby.

Yet, this freedom also attracted criticism from society — individuals upset with skateboarders for riding on sidewalks or trespassing by skating on the sloped walls of abandoned pools.

“In the beginning, we were told it was not right and that we were misbehaving,” Ducommun noted, who started skateboarding in the early 1970s. “When you inform someone, particularly a young individual, that they are doing something wrong, and they know they’re not, it only makes them want to do it more.”

Broader skateboards gained popularity in the 70s for better stability as skaters turned their focus towards riding up and down pool sides.

“We understood that a swimming pool felt akin to riding a wave, going up the wall and coming down,” Ducommun explained. “That inspired what eventually turned into half pipes and skate park bowls, among others.”

One of the highlights of the exhibit is Ducommun’s original board from 1976, identifiable by a yin yang sticker — the logo for Great North Country Skateboards, before it rebranded itself as Skull Skates, Canada’s longest-standing skateboard brand.

Humor, irreverence, and satire became integral to skate culture, Ducommun mentioned, with one way this was manifested being through skateboard stickers.

“As skateboarders, we have a penchant for mockery,” he stated. “Bright colors and cheerful faces, but with an undertone of humor.”

A notable piece in the exhibition critiques the notion of skateboarders competing for accolades, including the recent addition of skateboarding to the Summer Olympics. Ducommun creatively placed a decapitated doll’s body atop a football trophy, with a skateboard wheel serving as the head.

“It’s more about a form of art or a way of life,” he remarked.

Skateboarding continues to transform and develop as fresh cohorts of skaters come onto the scene.

“Each time it seems it can’t get any wilder in terms of tricks, techniques, and riding styles, it does,” Ducommun asserted. “The reason for this is that people aren’t starting from scratch; they’re building on everything that’s come before.”

With plans underway for a new skatepark in Qualicum Beach, Ducommun is hopeful that the activity will persist in expanding and may even draw visitors to the town to experience the new venue.

“There’s a whole community eager to come out and embrace it.”

Wheels of Freedom will be hosted at the Pop Cult Museum until March. PD’s Hot Shop is situated at 164 Second Ave.