Chapter 1: Vision

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