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Thursday, 20 September 2007 |
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Page 4 of 21
Too Few Skateboarders
The only skateparks that sit empty all day are the really lousy ones. Empty skateparks are always a sign of poor design or poor construction. The absolute best way to find out why a skatepark isn’t being used is to ask your local skateboarders. Most of the time they will indicate that the park is either not challenging or is faulty in some way.
Occasionally an older skatepark will be vacant if a new one opens nearby, but over time the usage will become redistributed across the two neighboring parks.
Empty skateparks are a clear indicator that something has gone terribly wrong. In this case it's pretty clear; the ramps are falling apart, not compelling structures, and the whole facility looks like a junkyard.
It is very uncommon for non-skaters to displace the skateboarding users. Skaters are notoriously resourceful and perseverant. If the skaters are afraid and feeling displaced from the facility, it is likely due to a larger criminal element that should be a major law enforcement concern.
There are no shortages of skateparks that are placed in the middle of fields, behind tall hedges, surrounded by slated fences, and completely obscured from casual view. Rather than expressing a positive, healthy, exciting place to be, these skateparks tell skaters and the other park visitors that the facility is quarantined and filled with people who require a significant amount of division or buffer. Rather than use this park, most skaters will either return to the streets where there are other people or find other facilities in nearby towns that accurately reflect how they feel about skateboarding. When a skatepark is treated like a detention facility, it will attract users who are accustomed to these environments.
Sometimes a simple issue of landscaping can have a nega-tive impact on the number of users. When a skatepark can only be reached by crossing a moist field, or is surrounded by dirt and gravel, the skating surface can become riddled with debris or soggy footprints. Conscientious skaters may avoid this park due to such annoyances. Like tennis or basketball courts, at some point the environmental hassles outweigh the value of using the facility.
If there is a desire to encourage more activity in an otherwise successful park, consider adding amenities that will add to the comfort or usability of the space, such as a water fountain, power outlet, or landscaping.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 10 February 2008 )
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