Vision: Introduction
That there are large and growing number of skateboarders may not be a surprise to anyone, but allow
us to begin by quantifying the popularity of this extremely engaging athletic endeavor.
What if these young people could take part in a public process instead of being labeled "a public nuisance?"
There are 12.4 million skateboarders in the US, according to market research firm BoardTrac, meaning
that a full 4.3% of American citizens are skateboarders.
Considering the fact that the above
percentage was derived from the total US population as of 2000, this means a large percentage of these
participants are youths within each community.
Even though the US was used as an example, this of course applies equally to any country with mature
infrastructure including sidewalks, roads, plazas, and so on. Canada, Europe, Asia and beyond:
with an extremely low up-front requirement for investment and vibrant scenes in nearly every city on earth,
skateboarding is truly an international activity.
In recent years great strides have been made among ad hoc groups of advocates in raising awareness regarding
the need for publicly-sanctioned skateboard facilities, and communities have responded. USA Today reported
that anywhere from 2-3 skateparks are built each week in the US alone.
What you, the skateboarding advocate, have in common with all of these stories is an idea, or what we
call a vision. We're here to help you turn this vision into something you can skate, confident
you are doing so with the full support of your community.
Be it street elements you seek, a plaza, a traditional bowl, or any one of the endless other variations
of identified skateboarding terrain, this process applies equally. It describes how you can take your
ideas, create an "army" of fellow advocates, and eventually have your skatepark.
Skateboarders are everywhere. They're on TV, in movies, on cereal boxes, and in our neighborhoods. Most people know a skateboarder. If you're a teenager, odds are good that you know several people who skate. If you're an adult, there's a good possibility you skated when you were younger-maybe you still do. Skateboarders are rich and poor, men and women, and of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Skaters come from ALL walks of life.
And people skate for a wide variety of reasons. Some skate to collect tricks. Some love the feeling of physical mastery. Some get hooked on the thrill. Lots of people love the culture and skateboarding vibe with all of its sarcasm and appropriation. Lots of kids skate in their driveways and in their neighborhoods training their balance and dexterity. Others travel across the nation (and sometimes the world) looking for the gnarliest, coolest, wildest places to skate. Some people compete and have dreams of getting sponsored. A few people just skate to work or school and that's all. They are ALL skateboarders.
The skatepark opening at Carbonado received no small amount of interest.
Right now there are millions of skateboarders in the United States. That may not surprise anyone, but it might be surprising to know that most cities in the United States don't have a skatepark. Most skaters have little choice but to ride in the streets, in parking lots, and other places where they are often viewed as a nuisance, an insurance liability, unrepentant vandals, or irresponsible children. The situation has resulted in skateboarding being restricted in many areas, skaters being confronted and often cited by law-enforcement officials, and the unfortunate marginalization of many young people in their communities as "official renegades." What can possibly be done to accommodate the millions of skateboarders and help erase the stigmas attached to skateboarding? The solution is to develop places for skaters to go where they are not only allowed to skate, have fun, and be active, but are encouraged to do so. These places are public skateparks.
MASTER PLANS:
Ordinary community parks are
created following a typical
process. It’s important that
skatepark advocates understand
to save time and avoid mistakes.
Few people are truly aware of what skateparks mean to skateboarders. They are much more than a place to skate; they become a central place to recreate, meet friends, hang out, or watch others. Skateparks support a diverse range of activities, as skateboarding itself is diverse. Some people skate to relax and others skate to exercise. Some skate for a short amount of time and others may spend hours at the park. Some are experienced and may even compete on a professional level while others may be just beginning and seeking a challenge beyond their driveway. Some skate for themselves while others may skate to be seen. Skateparks are for the young and old, introverts and extroverts, old-school and new-school, men and women. Skateparks serve our entire community.
In 2007 there are over 13-million skateboarders in the U.S. 93.7% are younger than 24. When one considers that there are about 80-million people in the United States between the ages of 5 and 24, it suggests that 1 out of every 7 youth in the nation are skateboarders. In communities where health and physical activity is an important social value, the number of skateboarding youth may be much higher. Communities like those around Sun Valley, Idaho, or Lincoln City, Oregon, have strong community support for activities that get people outdoors. As a reflection of this, both areas have noteworthy skateparks available for anyone to use.
Similarly, in communities that support their skateboarders with skateparks, the skaters tend to remain physically active for longer periods of time. Participation statistics demonstrate that this level has been consistent for the past 15 years. In other words, getting kids into skateparks early in life will help create a lifestyle of physical activity that should be life-long.
RESEARCH SOURCES
The Public Skatepark Development Guide staff stays up-to-date on current market research. Various studies from notable actions sports market research companies help SPS derive a state-by-state average of skateboarding activity.
It's surprising that the value of skateparks seems to elude so many cities. We know that anyone reading this book probably recognizes the value of skateparks and believes in their unique value. Whether they skate or not, most believers have a vision that includes skaters recreating and exercising in a special place. There is no shortage of these visionaries and yet there is still a shortage of skateparks. What has been going wrong?
In recent years great strides have been made among ad-hoc groups of skatepark and skateboarding advocates. Each group independently petitioned their community leaders to see a skatepark happen. They raised awareness and effectively communicated the need for public skateboarding facilities, and those communities responded and continue to do so; one company alone is claiming to build as many as six community-sponsored skateparks each week in the United States. Today, with the help of the internet and books like the Public Skatepark Development Guide, advocates can piggyback their successes with other communities to push through or avoid altogether those things that go wrong.
You, the skatepark advocate, have a special relationship with every skatepark: You share the idea that it can and should be done...it's merely different points along the same process (one is starting, the other is finished). This is a vision, it's the advocate's vision, it's your vision, and this guide is designed to help you turn it into something that can be skated.
Regardless of the skatepark size or design, every skatepark follows a typical development process. This Guide will help you make efficient decisions, act with the confidence to avoid mistakes others have made, win the support of the community and its leaders, and earn the gratitude of the skateboarding community.
What Is A Skatepark?
Today's skatepark is as diverse as any urban environment. One may be a deep, undulating form. Another may be geometric and boxy. They are often concrete, but they can also be wood or metal. They may feature premium materials like granite, brick, marble, or even incorporate large boulders. Some are beautifully landscaped and suggest a reflective environment. Others are designed more like sporting arenas with bleachers and lights. Some have shade structures or are even fully covered to allow them to be used in poor weather. Many skateparks are distressed beyond any reasonable safety standards, while others are carefully maintained and expected to withstand a decade or more of heavy use.
Many of the world's most famous
places to skate were never intended
to be called "skateparks."
It's important to understand that skateboarding does not require a skatepark. A person can ride a skateboard on the sidewalk, in the street, on a driveway or path, in an empty swimming pool or drainage ditch, or in any area that is fairly smooth and wide. Skateboards themselves have been developed for different styles of riding. There are small skateboards that sit low to the ground that enable flipping and jumping. Others are wide and have larger wheels for carving through bowls. There are special boards for slalom racing. Long boards with soft wheels replicate the feel of surfing and are a popular choice for inexpensive urban transportation. There are even "luge"-style boards specially designed to lay down on that can reach speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. Many of these types of skateboarding don't require skateparks, but they all need a smooth, paved surface. In the broadest sense, a skatepark is simply any place that sanctions skateboarding. Many skateparks were never originally intended for skateboarders, but the smooth concrete and interesting forms attracted the activity, and the City responded by permitting (or not denying) access.
CONSOLIDATED'S THE PLAN
One of the first comprehensive guides to skatepark advocacy was
produced by Consolidated Skateboards. It has been available online for
several years and provided the catalyst for many of the skateparks we
enjoy today.
Skateparks, as designated skateboarding facilities, come in all sizes.
Many communities are seeing value in the smallest possible amount of
terrain for skateboarding, the skate spot (or skate dot), as an
economical solution to their lack of skateboarding terrain. Many
communities look to the neighborhood skatepark to attract the area
skaters. A few cities have even built magnificent destination
skateparks that can safely accommodate dozens of simultaneous users.
Each type of skatepark has its unique strengths and weaknesses and it
is up to the skatepark advocate to help explore which sizes and styles
are right for the community.
A quick survey of today's skateparks will reveal a diverse offering. Most skateparks larger than 8,000 square feet will offer a variety of terrain. In other words, except for the very smallest of skateparks (or skate spots), skateparks will generally have different flavors for an assortment of skate abilities and preferences.
Skate spots will only have one or two
structures like this simply platform.
Skate Spot: While there are different kinds of extraordinarily small skateparks, the skate spot generally represents one or two structural attractions. These are often street-style obstacles such as a ledge or embankment. Skate spots seek to mimic the character and singular qualities of a structure found "in the wild." They can also be unique structures clearly designed to attract skateboarders. Either way, the skate spot has particular appeal to those communities who want to bring small amounts of skateboarding activity to a particular area.
Flow courses can complement the other
popular styles of skatepark structures
such as street or tranny).
Flow Course: While the descriptive term isn't widespread, there is a style of design that relies heavily on the undulating forms found in transition, but unlike swimming-pool replicas, never reach the dramatic depths or angles found in true "vert." These areas are sometimes called "beginner areas," though a skater of any experience level can find ways to challenge themselves with the smaller forms. Flow courses can be complicated spaces to design as the areas can attract multiple simultaneous users. Traffic control and visibility are often key issues.
Transition forms are
characterized by steep,
curved forms.
Bowls, Vert, and Transition: These are the swimming-pool replicas that many people assume when skateparks are mentioned. There are many different kinds of bowls, and seasoned skateboarders often claim that every bowl has its own unique characteristics. While bowls were once the most popular type of terrain, today's skateboarder will generally prefer the geometric architectural forms found on the streets and in other public areas.
Any portion of a transition (or curved) skating surface may reach a vertical angle. This is vert. It is common for portions of modern transition-style skateparks to have a small amount of skateable surface be overhanging, or beyond vertical, so that the only thing keeping the skater attached is centrifugal force and pure bravery.
Transition is a broad term that refers to any significantly curved portion of a skatepark. Transition is the design antithesis of street. Some parks might be predominantly transition, or "tranny," while others might just have a few transition elements and be otherwise street. It is not uncommon to hear skaters declare their allegiance to one type of terrain at the exclusion of the other. In some regions the street-tranny "debate" continues to this day, even though a majority of skateboarders prefer a diverse choice of terrains. Like flow areas, transition areas also must be designed with the utmost attention to visibility and safety. While size and depth are rarely a concern, speed and direction of intended travel is...especially if BMX riders are expected to use the facility.
Street plazas mimic the kind of
architecture typically found in any
public urban park.
Street Plaza: These spaces tend to feature exclusive street-style attractions. Because they mimic the type of architecture common to many urban public spaces, plazas are attractive to skaters and the broader community. To both the nonskater and the novice skater, street plazas don't appear exclusive or quite as daring as the deep precipices found in transition-style parks. Street plazas generally don't feature any kind of transitional elements.
How these skateparks are used is largely a result of the site selection, how active the skateboarding community was in the design process, and the facility's specific amenities. While most parks' administrators needn't become experts in "spotting the lack of flow in the frontside line," it certainly will help if everyone involved in the planning process has a cursory understanding of skatepark design as well as the capital-project process.
Part 1: The Skatepark Advocacy Process
Public skateparks almost always follow a particular process. Though the details may change-some communities will struggle to find a site while others have a site but will struggle with funds-momentum builds as the advocate works through these and other challenges in roughly the same order that countless other skatepark advocates have before.
One Person
Every skatepark in America, probably even the world, started with a person who recognized the need and decided to do something about it. Conversely, skateparks don't happen without someone like this. The advocate is the most important element in the process-not money, not land, not the support of the neighborhood. All of those things come later. In the beginning, it's just one person.
Someone needs to start it. In North
Little Rock that someone was Oby Berry
(center).
Anyone just starting out will want to take a moment, relax, and think about how much time and energy they are willing to devote to seeing this happen. If the potential advocate is expecting a baby, going off to college in the fall, joining the armed services, or just tends to have very busy days filled with work, family, and friends, a skatepark advocacy project may not be a good fit. It will take lots of time and patience, sometimes more than three years to complete (that is, if no support or awareness among the community or its leadership exists at the outset). Imagine three years from now-does skateboarding and the skatepark idea seem like something that will still be important?
Several People
Most skatepark advocates work as teams ... a group may have as few as three people or sometimes they are quite large. Most people begin their skatepark project by assembling the people they're comfortable working with and taking stock of people's ability to commit to the project. Those who start the skatepark project are almost never the same people to finish it. Things happen, people move, lose interest, or get frustrated. New people show up with fresh ideas and new directions, and throughout all of this bridges are built and the efforts begin to yield results.
SKATER CENSUS
In any given community, roughly
4.6% will be casual skate-
boarders and
half of those will be weekly skaters. With only a general population
and region, one can get an approximate number of skateboarders easily
and quickly.
The advocacy group starts by seeking liaisons within their city and parks department. Contact information is going to be key to communicating and coordinating ideas. Reading city Web sites with interest will become a favorite pastime, while finding e-mail addresses and composing newsletters will become the reasons for not being able to go skating. During these early stages the people in the group who are not committed to the project will reveal themselves and probably become uninvolved. For many groups, this is the first challenge they will face.
Many People
Before long the group will attract the attention of key people in the city and parks department, who will gradually become educated about the need for a new skatepark. The advocacy group will essentially be creating new skatepark advocates "within" the city and parks department; by inviting them into the group and participating in the decisions, they become partners with everyone else invested in a successful outcome. Some-times it's difficult to get to this place. There is no shortage of advocates who feel that the most direct and efficient approach to being heard is with letters to the newspaper, petitions, and public demonstrations. But most seasoned skatepark advocates find that a collaborative tone with the city and parks department will provide a better entry point to the process; once a confrontational strategy is set, it may be difficult to build mutual trust later.
The Whole Community
The city and parks department may be hesitant to offer their support until they see proof that the community-at-large supports the idea. Very few people want their names associated with a controversial project, especially elected officials. When the group's focus turns to the public for support, they will confront an interesting (and often entertaining) array of stereotypes and preconceptions about skateboarding, skateboarders, and skateparks. Some advocates enjoy this part of the process very much; for others it can be terrifying. Public outreach involves giving presentations to groups of people, lots of writing, going to meetings, and-most importantly-listening.
The skatepark effort will raise awareness
and become a topic of public discussion.
As the community becomes aware of the skatepark project, the advocacy group will begin identifying potential sites for the new facility. The average person will have little interest in a skatepark as long as it isn't across the street from their house (like many people, we would like nothing more than to have a skatepark across the street from our house, but that's another matter). The advocates will identify the best sites using established criteria developed by advocates in other cities. As the site or sites are questioned, the advo-cacy group will be able to explain why a particular site is just right (or wrong). Most groups need to do this over and over wherever people are curious about the future skatepark.
Early Process
When the community seems to be accepting the desired site, the city and parks department will increase their support. Things may start getting a little out of the group's control as more technical interests become involved. A city attorney may question if a skatepark can be built at that site. Perhaps the site was donated to the city with a clause that it must maintain a passive setting. Maybe the park is privately owned and the Parks Department has little jurisdiction over its usage. These are the types of challenges the skatepark project will likely face at this stage. Involved advocates will often need to take a few steps back and, for many of them, this can feel like failure. Though it can be frustrating, anyone who has made it to this stage has demonstrated incredible commitment.
Every skatepark in America started with a person who recognized the need and decided to do something about it.
Is this a good place for a skatepark?
Would the the public support it here?
Will your community leaders get behind
it? There's only one way to find out.
At this point the advocates may encounter a chicken-and-egg scenario. One cannot begin real fundraising without a site but a site cannot be secured without some financial proof of the community's commitment to the new facility. The City may also require that the donations come from many sources, especially foundation or government grants. One cannot approve the site without a financial commitment, yet securing the financial commitment often requires a site. This conundrum can be avoided by talking with the city and parks department about the most favorable scenario, and discussing the challenges a skatepark might face in each instance. Acquiring land and planning uses is the city and parks department's specialty; advocates may rely on their expertise to determine the best way to proceed.
Mid Process
After the site is verbally approved by city or parks department officials, it will need to undergo a series of technical approvals and planning procedures performed by the parks department. Often a master plan is developed which may need to be approved by the parks board and surrounding community. In the master-plan process, the skatepark may somehow fall off of the map. Advocates will need to be there every step of the way to make sure this doesn't happen; the skatepark isn't a sure thing until there are people skating in it. When a master plan is approved (and includes a skatepark), fundraising starts.
Planning committees, public presen-
tations, and planning discussions fill the
advocate's time in the middle of the
process.
Few communities are willing to dedicate enough money to fully fund a quality skatepark. Some communities rely heavily on local skaters to show their commitment by helping to raise the funds. Others display more initiative and work with the skaters to identify grants and sponsors that can help fund the park. Usually this fundraising period is relatively brief and occurs simultaneously with other elements of the project. In other words, advocates might be raising money for a design while the city is drafting a grant application for a state grant and others are presenting the plan and asking for support from the neighboring community, and so on. This is sort of the grand finale of the effort. At this point most advocates will be seasoned experts on nearly all aspects of skatepark planning, and hopefully will be contributing to the next edition of this guide.
Late Process
By now the advocacy group has been promoting the skatepark project for anywhere from six months to two years, maybe longer, and probably has a short list of designers they believe will deliver the kind of design the community needs. The group will work with the city and parks department to outline the project in technical terms to ensure the new park meets expectations. This process applies the community's skateboarding needs to the established, bureaucratic public-works review process. Some find it exhilarating, others don't. Regardless, everyone will need to remain involved and attentive to the subtle changes that occur through this process, as they can sometimes produce undesirable results.
TIPS FOR ADVOCATES
If you are new to advocacy, here are six basic tips that you should consider.
As the process of hiring a designer gets underway, the whole project moves out of the advocate's hands and into the realm of the city's or parks department's bureaucracy. If everyone has been diligent, organized, and supportive along the way, then there should be little to do except attend design review meetings, draft policy, and keep people focused and the momentum going. The new skatepark is right around the corner!
That is the process in a nutshell. At this point most readers of this Guide know more about how skateparks are created than the average skater. Skatepark advocacy is incredibly challenging, but for most advocates it's also deeply rewarding. The Guide will supply all of the information, tools, and tips needed for a successful outcome.
Part 2: The Skatepark Adoption Model
(Identifying The Community's Skateboarding Needs)
One of the first questions anyone considering a skatepark for their community must ask is, "How much skatepark does my community need?" In the past, communities have formed their skatepark solutions based on such irregular factors as the strength of the advocate's voice, the size of their pocketbooks, the availability of space, and so on. Although these are all realistic considerations, none of them suggest whether the skatepark actually meets the needs of the community. It is only when the skatepark proves too popular—throngs of teenagers and their friends hanging out all day and into the evening—that the broader community then pronounces the skatepark an unmitigated disaster. It's not the fault of the city planners or the advocate, it's the result of poor planning and not fully understanding the need. The skatepark becomes a victim of its own success-too popular, too active, too intense.
No community has yet to face
the problem of having too
many skateparks.
The Skatepark Adoption Model (S.A.M.) takes the guesswork out of planning the skatepark. It's a simple formula that successful advocates across the nation have been using for years. For the first time it's presented in simple, easy-to-understand terms that anyone can use as the starting point to an advocacy effort.
The S.A.M. is composed of two parts. The first step collects information about the community, known as the "target area." This basic information is used to interpret local skateboarding needs. The first step concludes by producing a value (in square footage) for the target area's broadest skatepark needs. The second step demonstrates ways to shape that footage into a skatepark system that will best service the community.
Step One: The Science Of S.A.M.
The process of calculating a S.A.M. recommendation begins by defining the target area in tangible terms. The following information about the target area is required for this step:
1. Youth population of target area (to establish how many skaters will be serviced)
2. Target area's state (to establish the average number of skaters per thousand)
3. Number and approximate size of existing skateparks (if any)
The S.A.M. formula will use these characteristics to accurately assess how many skaters are in the target area, what their terrain needs are, and how well their needs are currently being met.
SKATEPARK PROCESS
Every skatepark in the nation is the result of a systematic process. Understanding it will help you know what your role will be and where you will be influential before you begin.
Before any actual advocacy begins, skatepark advocates face a difficult decision: "What is the target area?" Advo-cates who live in remote or rural areas may want to include the entire town or county. Those who live in a suburb or bedroom community may want to choose a political, geographical, or intrinsic border such as a freeway or river. Some ambitious advocates will want to create a skatepark system for a large metropolitan area-that's fine, too. Whatever the scale, the process remains the same.
The first thing the advocate will need is the area's youth population. The best place to start, especially for larger towns, is the U.S. Census Web site (see "Census" sidebar). There probably isn't a town left in the U.S. that doesn't have its own Web site containing reasonably up-to-date population statistics.
There are 300-million people in the United States. Approximately 80-million Americans are between 5 and 24 years old. Studies show that nearly all skateboarders are between 5 to 24 years old and that 13-million people ride a skateboard each year. Taken together, these statistics suggest that 16% of people between 5 and 24 have or will ride skateboards this year. One can merely find the youth population of a target area and multiply it by 16% to calculate approximately how many people there are skateboarders (multiply the youth population by .16 to find out how many skaters there are).
GETTING INTO GOVERNMENT
For all of the necessary elements of a skatepark to
come together,many different governmental agencies may become involved.It will help
you to know who is basically responsible for what
components.
If the target area lacks clear political boundaries, such as a neighborhood or "everything between Elm Street and the river," determining the total population may be difficult. Sometimes your City Clerk or City Council representative's office will have population figures for districts or neighborhoods. Similarly, it may be easy to find a total population, but not one broken out by age categories (or those categories are too different to be useful). If that's the case, a rough estimate should be fine. About 29% of the national population is between 5 and 24 years old. Multiplying an area's total population by 29% (total population X .29) will yield the youth population, which can then be multiplied by .16 (or 16%) to achieve a rough number of local skateboarders.
Population Exercise In Review
Total U.S. Population (2000 Census): 281,421,906
U.S. Population between 5-24 years old: 80,261,468 (28.5% of the U.S.)
Skateboarders in the U.S. (2000 American Sports Data): 12,997,000
Skateboarders to total U.S. Population: 4.6%
Skateboarders to U.S. Population between 5-24 years old: 16%
This final number is the closest approximation of the skateboarding population possible without doing a specific study.
The total number of skaters in the target area can be used to determine how much terrain those skaters need. For skateboarding to remain a safe, rewarding activity for a community's youth, the terrain should be designated as a skateboarding area and provide enough space as to not displace potential users or drive them to places where skateboarding is not appropriate. When asked what they might do differently, most park planners who were involved in creating a skatepark in their community will say that they didn't make the skatepark large enough. Allocating a proper amount of space for the skatepark is not a matter of luxury, but of safety. Overcrowded skateparks are dangerous and ultimately displace skaters back to the streets.
SKATEPARK TYPOLOGY
Skateparks come in all shapes and sizes, so what you call a skatepark may not be the same as what someone envisions when you say it. Other advocates have found it useful to sometimes express the different kinds of parks by name.
To find out how much terrain your community's skatepark should provide, find the total number of skaters in your target area on the following list. Next to each category is an appropriate description of the amount and type of terrain they will need.
The list relies upon the simple calculation that 1 skateboarder requires a minimum of 1,500 square feet, but that 9 other skaters can use that terrain simultaneously (skateboarders typically take turns while recreating). Essentially, a municipality should provide approximately 1.5 square feet per "weekly" skateboarder in their community. The list also accounts for the reasonable assumption that a community will never have 100% of their skateboarding populace out at the same time (the "weekly" skateboarder is approximately one-quarter of the larger skateboarding population).
Less than 500 skateboarders: 8,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be a single facility with a variety of terrain styles.
501-1,200 skateboarders: 16,000 square feet of total terrain.
This solution should contain at least one full-size (10,000+ sq. ft.) skatepark.
1,201-2,000 skateboarders: 24,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be reflected as a skatepark system featuring at least one neighborhood skatepark and several skate spots.
2,001-3,000 skateboarders: 32,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be reflected as a skatepark system featuring a regional skatepark, one or more neighborhood skateparks, and several skate spots.
3,001-5,000 skateboarders: 48,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be reflected as a skatepark system featuring a regional skatepark, several neighborhood skateparks, and several skate spots.
5,001-8,000 skateboarders: 64,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be reflected as a skatepark system featuring a regional skatepark, several neighborhood skateparks, and several skate spots.
8,001-15,000 skateboarders: 96,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be reflected as a skatepark system featuring one or more regional skateparks, several neighborhood skateparks, and several skate spots. We strongly suggest that at this scale a comprehensive plan is developed.
15,001-24,000 skateboarders: 120,000 square feet of total terrain.
This should be reflected as a skatepark system featuring several regional skateparks, several neighborhood skateparks, and several skate spots.
A target area is defined in two ways:
1. The specific number of skaters in the community
2. The specific amount of terrain they need
The square footage of any existing skateparks within the target area may be subtracted from the total amount of required terrain. This last number is the total amount of skatepark footage that should be advocated for (presuming that the existing parks meet a reasonable standard for quality).
Step Two: The Art of S.A.M.
Knowing the total square footage is a great starting point for any skatepark advocacy effort. Anyone can now deliver on-message responses to "easy" questions and begin crafting arguments based on fact instead of speculation and anecdotal testimony.
If the total needed space is larger than 12,000 square feet, it can be divided into more than one skatepark. Many advocates simply divide it as they see fit. Experienced advocates and skatepark planners recommend a diverse variety of terrain types and sizes to best meet the needs of the diverse skateboarding community.
Skateparks, like most traditional parks, can be categorized into different classes. (Skatepark typology is discussed more thoroughly in Chapter Four.) The largest is the regional skatepark. It attracts skaters from a broad area, even touring skaters, due to its size and diverse terrain types. Regional skateparks generally offer terrain that can't be found in any other place in the region. This is usually due to the volume of space; designers can include every type of attraction if given enough size to work with. With expansive regional skateparks, however, designers are not compelled to omit bolder concepts to conserve space for traditional elements. The size that regional skateparks offer designers often results in bold new structures that become signature elements of each park.
The neighborhood skatepark is the standard by which all other skateparks are held. Neighborhood skateparks are the dominant scale that most communities instinctively go to due to their size and value. These parks are between 5,001 and 25,000 square feet and usually include all of the traditional elements that skaters expect. Neighborhood skateparks are intended to service a specific community, usually within a certain radius of the facility, and generally favor "a little bit of everything" over doing one thing really well.
Tacoma converted a small underused space into an active community attraction for less than $5,000.
Skate spots, a new scale of skatepark, are quickly emerging as a solution to skateboarding needs when land is at a premium. The skate spot is not a traditional skatepark, but rather an area where skateboarding is permitted. A small number of structures are included that attract skaters, but usually the space is not designated for that activity exclusively. There are several kinds of skate spots.
Anyone applying the S.A.M. formula probably knows much more about the skateboarders in a community and what their needs are than anyone else. As advocates work with the S.A.M. results, they will collect additional information from other local agencies and adjust the numbers.
Consider some of these examples:
If the target area has more retirees than the national average, the needs may be less than the S.A.M. results. If the target area includes a college or university or is largely active and recreational (ski resort towns, for example), the needs may be greater than the S.A.M. results. A target area's proximity to famous skateparks may also increase the need due to skateboarding tourism, and a high youth-crime rate may suggest a greater need for recreational opportunities targeting youth.
Step Three: The Son (Or Daughter) Of S.A.M.
Astute S.A.M. veterans may observe that the current formula does not adequately reflect population density. This is an omission of necessity for the time being. S.A.M. developers simply lack reliable research on how density impacts skatepark design, though there is certainly no shortage of opinions on the matter. When this factor can be quantified it will certainly become part of the formula in future versions.
An online version of the Skatepark Adoption Model is available at skatersforpublicskateparks.org. Anyone can use it by simply typing in the size of a community and choosing the region. The local skateboarding population will be produced that may help you identify your local skatepark needs.
Part 3: Crafting The Informed Vision
The vision for a new skatepark should now have enough good data to begin building a case. Advocates within the target area know how many people the new facility or facilities will be servicing. Next, the advocates will need to determine exactly what kind of solution they will want to suggest. As the local skatepark expert, the advocate will be expected to deliver with some degree of confidence a plan that will meet the community's needs.
Define The Need
Informed by results of the market-research formula, the advocate will have the two primary components of the advocacy effort:
1. There are X number of skaters in this community who need places to recreate.
2. X number of skaters will require Y square feet of accessible terrain.
There are, of course, many more details that will need to be addressed, but those two things are definitely the most crucial elements of your argument in favor of a skatepark or skatepark system. When the advocate can successfully convey these two facts, everything else is a matter of working toward a solution. Without establishing these two facts, any advocacy effort will be doomed from the start or become mired in conflicting opinions.
Craft A Solution
The two crucial components described above-the number of local skaters and the amount of terrain they need-are the backbone for every other skatepark consideration.
While crafting a vision of the skatepark or network of skateparks, bold concepts may emerge. Consider some of the topics that the advocate may be asked to describe:
1. The optimal locations for skateparks
2. The best ways to manage unwanted activity at skateparks
3. The best ways to convey how loud a skatepark might be
4. What a "small" skatepark looks like
5. Why landscaping is important
These are just some of the skatepark issues the advocate will need to develop clear and concise responses to for people who know nothing about skateboarding. The more clearly the advocate's vision is conveyed in the meetings, the more confident and reassured the audience will feel.
Final Word
No formula can outline the perfect solution for every community. The best people to assess a community's needs are members of that community. The S.A.M. results are merely a starting point for a thorough study on local skatepark needs and the system that will be designed for it.
Continue reading: Chapter 2: Advocacy
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