With fall coming to an end and winter approaching, riding skateboards in the streets is replaced with tv’s, video games and indoor skateparks (if your city is fortunate enough.) Never the less skateboarders are still motivated to find dry spots, wait for rain/snow to pass and do whatever they can to get their fix. I’ve recently caught up with Burlington, Ontario’s Patrick O’Rourke who has been doing just this. Here’s what he has to say.

Where do you currently reside, Pat?
Burlington, Ontario

Who do you skate with the most in Burlington?
Pretty much just everyone from Maple Park like Mcneil, Sam, B shans, and Thoem when hes back home.

What’s good about Dunbat?
Its in a good spot, downtown. Just ledges, ramps, solid mini ramp. All you need really, very simple.

Any locals killing it out there?
Yeah totally, everyone from Maple rips.

I haven’t experienced it but I hear that Ontario winters aren’t that sweet. What do you do to keep busy?
Yeah the winters suck forsure. I usually just try and work through fall, and then get the hell outta here for the harshest months.

Are you working now?
Not at this moment, no.

Fill me in on some of the jobs you’ve had:
Man, pretty much everything. I get super bored at jobs, so I switch them up all the time. Ive worked in a photo lab, Coffee spot, Extreme Pita, Tim Horton’s, Mailroom in a government building, and the list goes on.

So with all of this work you’ve done how come you haven’t managed to make it out to the west coast? Got something against Vancouver?
Nah, nothing against B.C at all. Looks beautiful out there. I’ve just been happy staying at home so far and traveling around. I think eventually I’ll move somewhere though. Maybe it will be out there?

[o] Jeff Comber

I heard a crazy story involving eggs and Lindsey Lohan. Care to defend yourself?
Haha, I don’t need to defend myself. I was really young and crazy. Me and my friend Justin would always sneak out of his house once his parents went to sleep and do chaotic shit. And that one night we got booked for throwing eggs at Lindsey Lohan and her film crew from this bridge overtop of them at like 3 am when they where filming for “Mean Girls”. The cops caught us and drove us home. They woke up his parents and his Dad fucking went off on us after the cops left. We are kind of lucky we didn’t get caught for the other stuff we had done leading up to that though, It could have been a lot worse.

Tell me about an average day with you?
I try and skate everyday. Besides that, I love eating and do a lot of that. If I have a job I’ll pop in there and make some money. And if I’m not skating or working I’ll be with friends having a good time.

[o] Sam Fidlin

What are some of the destinations that skateboarding has brought you?
Barcelona, San Francisco, New York, Miami, Tampa, Atlanta and Montreal. I think that’s it.

Favorite/Least favorite?
Favorite Barcelona, least favorite Tampa. I think.

Any plans of travel for the near future?
Yeah I’m planning on going to SF for all of February. Maybe take a couple short trips to Los Angeles, and San Jose while I’m down there.

[o] Jeff Comber

I think anyone out there who knows about skateboarding knows Girl/Lakai are pretty rad companies. What good fortune led you to riding for them in Canada?
I don’t know, I guess I just lucked out. They where always my favorite companies growing up, I would always want their stuff just cause they have the best shit. I sent Sean Moriarty some footage years ago, and then one day at Dunbat he was there and saw me skating around and asked if I wanted him to send me some boards. I remember I was actually riding a Gino chocolate board that day that I had bought, and he was like ill just send you those exact boards. I was so hyped. Then just overtime sending footage and photos to him he forwarded it to McD and eventually I got bumped up and onto Lakai, and Girl Canada. I’m Thankful for the help guys.

I just saw your part in the Prodrome video. You got anything else in the works for video parts right now?
Yeah the Prodrome was like promo video for my friend Devin Guineys full length film that he’s working on, which should be out in 2010. So I have been filming for that. I’m also filming for Jeremy Elkins new video titled “the elephant direct”, which should be a good watch as well.

What is the best thing about skateboarding right now?
Life of Ryan, Mountain Dew, Red Bull, and professional skateboarders being rappers.

And the worst?
Real skateboarders, doing it for fun.

What do you think would make things better?
More people should start trying to be like someone else?

Why does Toronto have the worst hockey team in the NHL right now?
To be honest I don’t pay attention to the NHL at all, so I couldn’t tell you. I guess we just blow it.

Who’s your favorite Degrassi character?
Come on! I don’t watch the Degrassi

Right.. More swag: Local Toronto super star Drake, or the two headed twin sisters?
Oh two headed crew for sure. They got double the head for double the swag.

Hanging out with you in Montreal this summer I noticed you’ve got some mean YouTube skills. Why don’t you link up three of your favorite videos right now and tell me why you like em.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWJetquoyAU
Two of the best styles, skating to one of the best beats. Timeless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2NmT9zLld4
Katts the man, you gotta watch this. It’ll Make you laugh till you cry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QnF0-QvW4E
Classic!

Tags: girl, Interview, Lakai, Pat O'Rourke, Profile Video, Skateboarding