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Recent Articles
- “Underexposed” in the Public Eye: Amelia Brodka Interview
- 2012 Skateboarding Fatalities
- Replacing Modular Parks with Concrete
- The Skatepark Bid Process
- Sample RFP for a Skatepark Bid (Replacing a Modular Skatepark)
- Stand Up For Skateparks
- Just Say NO To Modular Skateparks
- An Interview with Ty Smith: Drop Into Skateboarding
- Putting Wenatchee on the Map!
- Skateparks $100K and Under
- Art of Board and I Ride I Recycle – The Bruce Boul Interview
- 2011 Skateboarding Fatalities
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Construction Archive
Replacing Modular Parks with Concrete
In the early 2000′s, when the public skatepark boom started to hit the country many cities went with the option of building modular skateparks to tests the waters. At the time, public skateparks were few and far between and cities were unsure whether a public skatepark would work for their community. As a result, they opted for a modular solution to see how the kids would...
Sample RFP for a Skatepark Bid (Replacing a Modular Skatepark)
(In the last few years, SPS has worked with a lot of cities in replacing out dated modular skateparks. The following RFP was used by one of the many cities we work with in replacing a modular skatepark. If your city is planning a skatepark hiring an experienced skatepark contractor is one of the most important steps. This RFP covers the scope and qualifications used in...
Concrete Ledge Construction
In 2003, our city installed the first prefabricated modular skatepark in San Antonio. At the time, we were not very familiar with this equipment, but within six months the modular ledge ended up looking like this… The ledge basically crumbled due to heavy skating, and the vendor did not honor the warranty to repair the equipment. I later found out this is very common with modular...
Building a Concrete Skatepark on an Old Tennis Court
When it comes to building a public skatepark a lot of park managers begin to look at underutilized park space around the city. An old tennis court or an old basketball court can sometimes make a perfect spot to place a skatepark. The great thing about finding a location like this is the park usually has lighting, parking, restrooms, a water fountain, etc. Typically, when a...
DIY SeaTac Ledge Repair
How To: Ledge Repair When the skatepark in the City of Seatac, Washington, was opened, the designer didn’t plan for the popularity of a small ledge built into a larger pyramid structure. Over the next five years the ledge was ground down until it was rough and pebbly. With an upcoming contest, Dave Waite and Jake Weger of Tacoma contacted SPS NW Regional Director Brock McNally...
DIY Tacoma Manual Pad
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to build a manual pad for under $3,000. This project was demonstrated in Tacoma, Washington in April, 2010 and took three days of work over a two-week span. Step 1: Funding The local skatepark group approached the neighborhood council with a proposal to introduce a new skateboarding structure at an existing skatepark. Once a year the council is provided foundation...
Modular or Concrete?
Landscape Architecture Magazine published this insightful article a few years ago. It focuses heavily on the key materials decision that many communities must face. Reprinted with permission. Building a Skatepark: Modular or Concrete By Carol Newman, Landscape Architecture Magazine Growth in the sport of skateboarding has come in waves: waves of interest among youth, waves of protest over urban street skaters, wooden waves on community facilities,...