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Page 2 of 6
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.
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