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Thursday, 20 September 2007 |
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Page 5 of 21
Illicit Activity
Most skateboarders are teenagers, and for the last decade skateboarding has been an illegal activity in many cities. Skateboarding sometimes reflects an “outlaw” image that then can attract “outlaws” to skateboarding. Although skateboarding has never been more legitimate and mainstream than it is today, these rough edges are still present and are an inseparable part of skateboarding’s identity. These stereotypes will continue to dog skateboarders until adequate, safe, and legal alternatives to skating in the street are readily available.
STEWARDSHIP
Nurturing a stewardship group is key to a successful park. Sadly, these programs are often explored only after many other mistakes have been made.
It’s no secret that most skateboarders are juveniles. In fact, about 93% of skaters are younger than 24 years old. In those areas where skateboarding is very popular, up to a quarter of the area youth might be skaters. It should come as no surprise that skateboarders will sometimes reflect all of the same social ills that face teenagers from all walks of life. Some skateboarders, like some baseball players, enjoy smoking pot. This is inevitable and unfortunate, especially when they choose to do so at the skatepark. As mentioned earlier, a great site and challenging design will displace those who wish to treat places where youth congregate as their personal playgrounds. It should be the goal of every community planning a skatepark to reach a critical mass that promotes healthy activity at the park, which will displace unwanted activity, which will then attract even more positive uses, and so on.
Disruptive activity can sometimes be prevented or reduced by attracting older or more experienced skaters to the facility. Though this isn’t always the case, as older skaters can sometimes be simply aged versions of the younger hooligan, mature, responsible desired users will be attracted to and take pride in a facility that is clean, visible, and manifests the best design and construction principles.
Passive supervision will have an enormous, positive impact on illicit activity. If the skatepark is already done, look for ways of attracting non-skateboarding traffic to the immediate vicinity. Invite other types of uses to the area to draw non-skating park visitors within a comfortable range of the skatepark.
There are many methods of preventing criminal activity through environmental design and most park planners are familiar with this principle. Displacing undesirable activity will make the skatepark and its surroundings more appealing to those who wish to use the park as intended.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 10 February 2008 )
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