Skaters for Public Skateparks is always looking for new insight and also to help promote skateboarding in general. Last October, I had the pleasure of being introduced to pro skater Amelia Brodka. We had a great conversation about skateparks and skateboarding in general. It was obvious to me that Amelia is a committed skater for life. As a self-proclaimed skateboard addict, she worked tirelessly to put together a feature length documentary title “Underexposed – A Women’s Skateboard Documentary” . This was in addition to recently graduating from college with a dual degree, traveling the world competing in contests and furthering her professional skateboarding career. I wanted to get Amelia’s perspective on the importance of public skateparks from the female perspective, so we got together for this interview via e-mail.

As a professional skateboarder, filmmaker, recent college graduate and more, what is a typical day like right now for you?

I’ve been traveling a bunch recently, but I try my best to continue my typical schedule wherever I go. I like to wake up early, drink a kale and protein smoothie, respond to emails,  go to a Yoga class or for a run, attend to any Underexposed/Exposure PR/Communication/logistics etc., skate vert, bowl or mini, go to the gym, and some evenings I teach private lessons at Aura skate park.

Very cool. Sounds like you’re definitely busy. Not to mention getting your daily shred on. What’s next for your new movie “Underexposed “?

Right now we are focused on lining up new screenings at festivals or coupled with skateboarding events. We are hoping to get picked up by a distributor in the process!

I noticed most of the footage in the trailer is shot at skateparks. How important do you feel public skateparks are to the future and continued success of not only young girls and women in skateboarding, but for all skaters?

Public skateparks are incremental to the growth of skateboarding. They increase participation rate and speed the progression of the level of skateboarding. Their accessibility invites new people to experience the joy of skateboarding and allows current skaters to be able to better fit their passion into their schedules and budgets. Public skateparks also help sustain the skateboarding industry by opening the doors for more people to pick up skateboarding and purchase skate equipment and apparel.

I couldn’t agree more on all points. It’s really a win/win for everyone. Those directly involved as participants, in the industry as well as for the general public to spectate. You have spoken with high school students about accomplishing their passions. Let’s say you had the opportunity to make a skateparks PSA for Parks Directors to share around the US and beyond. It would hopefully be viewed by their Board Members, City Councils, Mayor and voting citizens. What would say to help them understand the importance of building more permanent public skateparks, in good locations, with professional designs, skater involvement, etc.?

Skateboarding is a great tool that teaches youth patience, perseverance and focus. The process of learning tricks on a skateboard is a grueling one that often involves hours of trial and error. The hours kids spend at a skatepark not only provide them with exercise, but also a creative outlet. However, proper design with skater input is important. These ingredients can make the difference between a skatepark that lasts years and one that lasts decades. A well-built park decreases chance of injury, increases the growth of a local skate community as well as boosts a city’s tourism by becoming a “destination” for skateboarders from around the world.

I think we should look at adding you to the Board of Directors for SPS as our PR Specialist. Not that you have the time right now to volunteer, but you would be a natural fit and a great asset to our organization. Which leads me to my next question. How would you describe the love of skateboarding that transcends the boundaries of gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status and more within skateboarding, yet so many parents and public officials who don’t skate, don’t understand it?

Skateboarding provides all of its participant’s feelings of freedom, joy, and accomplishment. Being a skateboarder automatically makes you part of a world-wide community of people who cheer each other on and welcome each other into their homes so that you can experience their local skate spots and scenes.

All true. We met at a Tony Hawk Foundation Stand Up for Skateparks event last fall. Tony was the first and remains the major contributor paving the way for pros giving back to get more public skateparks built. How has his example inspired you and others professional skaters to get involved?

I’d like to get involved in any way possible. When I started skating, there were not very many parks in New Jersey, and the few that existed were low-budget pre-fab parks. Back then I would have killed for anywhere to skate beyond my local curb and parking lot. In middle school I went door-to-door with some friends petitioning for a park to be built in Linden, NJ. Today I’m helping the Delhi Center with their Santa Ana Skatepark Coalition. A low-income community such as Santa Ana would greatly benefit from a system of parks much like the one in Long Beach. It would be a great way to keep youth out of trouble.

Good for you for participating at a young age and staying involved in each community that you reside. It takes a lot of grass roots effort, yet it’s always worth it for the under served and at risk youth. Core skater involvement helps get the best parks built! Where would you say your Top 3 Favorite Public Skateparks located?

Colorado Springs, CO, Heber City, UT and Stamford, CT.

There are so many amazing skateparks out there with more being built all the time. It gives skaters everywhere lots to look forward to! Do you have any good stories from your early years at a public park? (Like maybe an older skater teaching you how to drop in or something)

A few years after I started skating they built a skatepark in Sayreville, NJ. I remember spending a summer there finally loosening my trucks and learning to carve.

If you were going to design a public skatepark- Where would it be located and what essential features would you include to help ensure there would be something for everyone, resulting in it getting the most use possible?
There are a lot of skaters who would really benefit from a public vert ramp in Los Angeles. The LA area has a lot of great pools and plazas, but no vert ramps. There are also no mini-ramps where skaters learn the basics of transition skating.

I would also love to see a public park in Maine with a similar structure to that of Encinitas’ YMCA park. It would have a pool, a vert ramp, a “mini-land” flow course with smaller trannies, banks and a halfpipe section, as well as a street plaza. The ideal would be to have a roof over it somehow. The northeast could really use some more skateparks in general.

What advice do you have for young skater’s to strike that balance between skating to reach their dreams of pro status and always remembering to have fun no matter what?

Remember to smile when you’re finally rolling away from that trick you’ve been working on for hours.

Ok, last question. Do you see an All Pro All Girl Skatepark Tour in the near future? It seems like a natural progression that would inspire and reach so many young female and male skaters. It would really open everyone’s eyes that much more…

I’m workin’ on it

Big thanks to Amelia for the honor of this interview! I look forward to even more great things from her in the world of skateboarding and contributing to public skateparks. This is just the beginning. Check out the trailer for “Underexposed“.

At SPS, we greatly mourn the loss of our fellow skateboarders as we continue to push for safe skateboarding facilities around the globe. Our condolences go out to the friends and families of those named in this report. We hope to prevent these senseless tragedies from happening in the future.

As explained in the 2011 skateboarding fatality report, the different setups of a skateboard are as unique in their specialties of use as a formula one race car is to a dune buggy. There is a drastic difference between long boards and short boards. For statistics, we mention which type of skateboard was involved in the accident, as well as where the accident occurred, what the activity was at the time, and if any protection was worn. Not all reports gathered include this valuable information so much will be left unsaid.

As we were gathering information for this report we also came across those in Australia, the UK, Canada, and South Africa. This report does not include the statistics or names of those in countries outside of the USA, but for the first time we will include the name of a Canadian skateboarder who lost his life while skating in the mountains of Virginia.

In 2012, thirty skateboarders lost their lives. This report includes two skateboarders who suffered their accidents in 2011, but did not pass away until days or months after the original incident.

It is important to note that all thirty deaths occurred in a roadway. Two occurred despite the helmets they wore.  The fatalities included the youngest, an eight year old child, who was butt boarding down his driveway and rolled into his neighborhood street.  The eldest was a veteran skateboarder and long time mentor, advocate and former shop owner in Chicago, skating to his car.

As you read each name please note how the tragic accident occurred due to unforseen circumstances. It is obvious from previous reports (and this one) that the number one cause of death for skateboarders is bodily blunt force trauma caused by a collision with a vehicle, even one as small as a motorcycle.

Zachery Taylor Lindley Date of Incident 12/06/2011
Died 09/12/2012
White City, UT
Struck by a vehicle while skating through a crosswalk. Zachery was riding a long board.
17 years old

Gerardo Garcia Date of Incident 12/31/2011
Died 01/01/2012
Lake Elsinore, CA
Struck by a hit and run driver.
19 years old

Landen Swanson Date of Incident 01/09/2012
Died 01/13/2012
San Marcos, CA
Struck by a hit and run driver.
20 years old

Justin Stone Date of Incident 01/18/2012
Struck by a vehicle by while skating through a cross walk.
San Fransisco, CA
34 years old

Tucker Hacking Date of Incident 01/27/2012
Died 01/29/2012
Lafayette, CA
Fell while skating down a hill.
20 years old

Caleb Daniel Simpson Date of Incident 01/28/2012
Died hours later
San Pedro, CA
Collided with another skateboarder while skating down a hill.
15 years old

Tyler DeMartini Date of Incident 01/30/2012
Died 02/01/2012
North Berkley, CA
Struck by a vehicle while skating in the street.
18 years old

Steven Fisher Date of Incident 02/15/2012
Denton, TX
Struck by a vehicle while skating along side a rural road at night.
16 years old

Da’ Jion Sha-King Blie Date of Incident 03/08/2012
Bloomington, CA
Struck by a vehicle while skating in the street.
14 years old

Brandon Campbell Date of Incident 03/17/2012
Tamarac, FL
Struck by a vehicle while skating through a crosswalk.
14 years old

Noah Austill Date of Incident 03/27/2012
Temecula, CA
Struck by a vehicle while skating through an intersection at night.
14 years old

Josh Thorne Date of Incident 03/28/2012
New York, New York
Struck by a vehicle while skating in the street during early morning hours.
25 years old

Nathan Strube Date of Incident 05/08/2012
Livermore, CA
Struck by a vehicle while riding a long board. Nathan was wearing a helmet during the accident.
13 years old

Jonah Kelley King Date of Incident 06/11/2012
Raleigh, NC
Fell riding a long board while skating down a hill.
16 years old

Andrew Dudley Uhlman Date of Incident 07/06/2012
NC
Fell while bombing a street
14 years old

Maxime Benoit Date of Incident 07/27/2012
Meadows of Dan, VA (Maxime was visiting the states from Canada)
Struck by a vehicle while skating down a hill. Maxime was wearing a helmet when the accident happened.
26 years old

Jacob Van Staaveren Date of Incident 08/28/2012
San Luis Obispo, CA
Struck by a vehicle at an intersection.
22 years old

Peter Cernansky Date of Incident 08/28/2012
Burlington, VT
Died 08/30/2012
Fell while skating down a hill.
18 years old

Carlos Salas Date of Incident 09/07/2012
Laguna Niguel, CA
Struck by a hit and run driver.
20 years old

Charles Delgado Date of Incident 09/11/2012
Anchorage, AK
Died 09/12/2012
Struck by a motorcycle while riding a longboard at night.
22 years old

Jarod Alan Maxwell Date of Incident 09/14/2012
Oak Hills, CA
Struck by a vehicle while skateboarding to school.
14 years old

Stefvin Caswell Date of Incident 09/20/2012
Seattle, WA
Struck by a vehicle while skating in the street.
29 years old

Patrick Gurschke Date of Incident 10/12/2012
Brookfield, IL
Struck by a vehicle while skating through an intersection.
17 years old

Reginald “Reggie” Destin Date of Incident 10/19/2012
Chicago, IL
Struck by a vehicle while skating to his car. Longtime skateboarder and skateboarding advocate.
Died October 27, 2012 at the age of 42

Justin Hertzberg Date of Incident 10/24/2012
Chula Vista, CA
Fell while skating down a hill. He had just formed a skateboarding group in his neighborhood to promote skateboarding.
14 years old

Ryan Earl Esslinger Date of Incident 11/05/2012
Shoreview, MN
Struck by a vehicle at night.
24 years old

Michael Gradzki Date of Incident 11/15/2012
Farmingdale, NY
Struck by a drunk driver as he was skating a cross the street.
28 years old

Kyle Larson Date of Incident 11/20/2012
New York City
Struck by vehicle while trying to avoid an oncoming cyclist.
20 years old

Elijah Crayton Date of Incident 12/02/2012
Largo, FL
Struck by a vehicle when buttboarding into oncoming traffic.
8 years old

Scott Hickerson Date of Incident 12/07/12
Concord, CA
Struck by a vehicle skating through a crosswalk.
21 years old

The Average Age of the 2012 Fatalities is 20 years old.

Twenty four out of the thirty skateboarders listed were struck by a vehicle.

Most fatalities occurred in CA, where skateboarding is now outlawed in the streets of most major cities. 14 of the 28 deaths occurred in CA. This is three more fatalities than last year.

For the first time, NYC witnessed two fatalities, and the State suffered the loss of three skateboarders. This is one more fatality than last year.

All of the fatalities were male.

Fatalities went DOWN to 30 in 2012 from 42 in 2011 AND in all States except New York and California. Fatalities counted here are only of those riding a four wheeled deck. Any other activity or equipment is not considered. As shown, skateboarding is typically a safe activity and far safer than watersports, baseball, football, and other high impact activities. If you would like to add to this report, please comment.

For further information on Safe Skateboarding and Promoting Skateparks, visit our article 30 Reasons to Build a Skatepark in your Community!

Modular skateparks consist of above ground prefabricated equipment usually made of steel, plastic or wood.

Well ten years later skateboarding is going strong and public skateparks are being built all over the country. Organizations like Nike, the Maloof Money Cup and the Street League are putting big money into skateboarding, and at the same time providing large amounts of money towards free public skateparks. On the same note, cities are not only building one or two public skateparks, but now developing master plans for entire skatepark systems.

The Flushing Queens skateplaza built for the Maloof Money Cup was donated to New York City after the contest. Photo: Daniel Avila.

Over the years more cities have realized that public skateparks are an important investment in our youth. As public skateparks evolve it’s very important for skaters and community leaders to see how they are built. Basically, asking the question, “What has worked and what has not worked?”

In the 1970′s, skateparks were built out of concrete, wood, steel and fiberglass. Obviously, you do not see too many public skateparks left over from the 70′s built of wood, steel or fiberglass. However, you do still see concrete parks that were built in the 70′s and still being used to this day. Throughout the eighties and nineties public skateparks were few and far between, but you still saw them being built of concrete.

The Derby Skatepark in Santa Cruz, CA was built in the 1970′s and was skated for 36 years before being resurfaced.

The skatepark in Santa Rosa, CA was built in 1994 and still remains an active skatepark.

At the end of the nineties, many states began passing laws to limit a city’s liability regarding public skateparks, and you started seeing pubic parks being built across the country. At this time, you saw the playground companies and other modular companies jump on the skatepark bandwagon. These companies produced skatepark equipment made out of steel, fiberglass, composite plastic and wood. This was the beginning of the mass production of clone like skateparks across the country.

At the end of the nineties this type of modular skatepark was not uncommon.

Since then a lot of things have changed. The use of building materials such as steel, wood and plastic have shown significant signs of failure. Plus the skatepark industry is now dominated by companies that pour concrete skateparks. The few modular vendors that are still in business also offer a concrete option.

The concrete skatepark in Cedar Park, TX shows the benefits of using dyed concrete and landscaping to add aesthetic appeal.

As modular skateparks deteriorate across the country we are finding that more cities are replacing them with concrete parks. In this article, we document those situations to try to encourage communities to build it right the first time, and not to waste taxpayer dollars on modular equipment.

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New Braunfels, TX

In 2004, the City of New Braunfels installed a steel modular skatepark. Over the years the modular skatepark showed signs of wear and tear, and had to be repaired a number of times.

The modular skateparks in New Braunfels was installed in 2004.

In 2006, local skateboarders were fed up with the poor condition of the modular park and began holding fundraisers for a new park. Three years later they raised enough money to build a 17,000 square foot concrete skatepark to replace the old modular park. The newly improved skatepark attracts users from around the state.

The state-of-the-art concrete skatepark was opened in 2009 to replace the aging modular park.

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Marble Falls, TX

In 2003, The Highland Lakes Skatepark Association began raising money to build a public skatepark in Marble Falls. In 2006, a temporary park was built with wood ramps including a quarterpipe, fun box and a bank ramp.

The Marble Falls skatepark installed in 2006.

After years of hard work The Highland Lakes Skatepark Association raised around a $100,000 to build a brand new concrete skatepark. They were also able to get plenty of in-kind donations to help cut costs. The contractor poured new concrete over the old existing slab creating a 12,000 square foot skatepark. The park has unique features such as the Parthenon Loop.

In 2010, Marble Falls replaced the old wood park with a new concrete park.

In 2011, the skatepark in Marble Falls was featured in Thrasher Magazine which is distributed internationally. Photo: Rhino

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Los Angeles, CA (Hollenbeck Park)

In 2002, the city installed a prefabricated skatepark in Hollenbeck Park. The skatepark was supervised, charged a fee and was surrounded by a fence. The skatepark featured your standard modular set up with bank ramps, fun boxes and quarterpipes.

The Hollenbeck Skatepark built in 2002.

When the ramps started to show signs of deterioration LA Parks and Rec. started kicking around ideas for a replacement until they where approached by skater/TV star Rob Dyrdek. The Rob Dyrdek Foundation was able to match funds provided by the city, and together they were able to build a 14,000 square foot skateplaza. In 2009, the plaza opened and was immediately a big hit. Plus the city removed the fence and skatepark fees to encourage usage. Today the Hollenbeck Skateplaza is featured in numerous skate videos and attracts skaters from around the world.

The Hollenbeck Skateplaza completed in 2009.

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Los Angeles, CA (Lincoln Park)

In 2002, the City of Los Angeles installed a modular park at Lincoln Park. The park featured a mini ramp, quarterpipes, bank ramps and a fun box. The skatepark was also fenced and required a fee.

The Lincoln Skatepark installed in 2002.

In 2011, the deteriorating ramps were replaced with the help of pro skater Paul Rodriguez Jr. The Paul Rodriguez Foundation, Nike SB and LA48 stepped in to help provide funding for the 9,000 square foot concrete skatepark. Legendary professional skater Lance Mountain stepped in to help design the facility which features some street plaza elements and a flowing snake run. Plus the fence was removed and the city stopped charging a fee.    Lincoln Park is actually the sixth skateplaza to be built in the city for the last two years. LA PARD currently has plans to build three more just like it.

The Lincoln Skatepark built in 2011.

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Tacoma, WA (Stewart Heights Park)

In 2004, a prefabricated skatepark was installed at Stewart Heights Park, (also known as “South 56th”), in Tacoma, WA. The park was installed by a local contractor and the problems were immediately apparent. Some of the abutting pyramid forms did not join correctly and some of the quarterpipes were positioned just behind large expansion joints in the slab. More serious problems emerged within the next two or three years as the top sheets, (Skatelite), began to trap moisture and warp. The moist wood then couldn’t hold the screws which began to back out. Although replacement sheets were installed, they too soon became distressed through ordinary wear and tear.

The prefab park at Stewart Heights park in Tacoma was built in 2004. The park was popular among skaters, but became difficult for the city to maintain.

In 2010, the prefab park was dismantled and a new concrete park was installed.

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The Woodlands, TX (Forestgate Park)

In 2002, The Woodlands, TX   installed a steel prefab park at Forestgate Park. The equipment was poorly designed and began to rust within a few years.

Forestgate Park in 2008.

Questionable design features!

In 2011, the steel ramps were removed and a brand new concrete park was built upon the existing slab.  The new park was designed with input from the local skating community, and local skaters participated in the construction.

Designed and built by skaters instead of playground companies.

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The Woodlands, TX (Lakeside Park)

In 2002, The Woodlands, TX   installed a steel prefab park at Lakeside Park. The park featured a half pipe, a fly box, quarterpipes and banks. The park began to show signs of wear and tear a few years later, and the community began to take steps to replace the park.

Lakeside Park in 2008.

In 2011, the community removed the old equipment and hired a design/build skatepark contractor. The contractor met with the local skaters to get an idea of what features to replace the equipment with.

Meeting with the locals to get ideas for the new park.

The contractor was able to use the existing slab and build on top of it. All of the new features were built out of poured in place concrete. The new park totals 9,565 sq ft. and features a half pipe, a volcano, two different fun boxes and a taco shaped quarterpipe.

Lakeside Park in 2012.

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 Conroe, TX (Kasmiersky Park)

In 2001, the City of Conroe installed a large skatepark. The equipment was wood framed and layered with a polymer surface. The park was used for many years, but in 201o the city started taking steps to remove the park.

The Kasmiersky Skatepark built in 2001.

The problem with an outdoor wood framed park is that eventually it will start to rot. The rotting compounded with heavy usage creates a dangerous situation for users.

The rotting plywood surface at Kasmiersky Park.

The city held numerous meetings on building a new skatepark to replace the old one. The skaters and BMXers worked together on a design that would feature both street and bowl elements.

In 2011, the city began construction on a very ambitious skatepark design. The 15,000 sq ft. facility would include two bowls and a large street area. On top of that, the park would be done in dyed concrete and include art features.

On Dec. 17th 2011, the city opened the new skatepark. They moved the location in the park away from where the old park was located to provide more shade. Since the opening the park has been a huge success.

The Kasmiersky Park Grand Opening

An overview of the completed park.

A sculpted saw blade made out of concrete to pay homage to Conroe’s timber industry.

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San Antonio, TX (Southside Lions Park)

In 2006, The City of San Antonio attempted to build a small modular skatepark at Southside Lions Park. Unfortunately, the equipment did not fit the slab, and the large fun box was pretty much useless.

The original Southside Lions Park installed in 2006.

As a result, the city worked with a group of local skaters to design a more functional skate area. The modular ramps were removed and a concrete ledge, manual pad and a rail were installed.

The new retrofit features after construction.

The new park has more street friendly features, and a more functional design. Usually a modular park is removed because of deteriorating equipment. However, in this situation the modular equipment was removed because of poor design.

The completed Southside Lions skate spot.

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Austin, TX (House Park)

In the 1990′s local skaters volunteered to build a skatepark at the Austin Recreation Center aka House Park. The skaters built their own wood ramps, and for years they upgraded and maintained the park. The fact that the park was centrally located and easily accessible made it an excellent location for a skatepark.

The original skatepark at the House Park in Austin.

About six or seven years ago the city began looking into upgrading the homemade park with something more permanent. Obviously the wood ramps were not going to last and the small footprint was not enough space for the popular park. The city began thinking of something on a grand scale.

In 2010, the ramps were removed and construction began on a park that was about four times the size of the original park. Not only was this going to be a larger park, but a state of the art concrete skate plaza.

In 2011, after almost eight months of construction the City of Austin cut the ribbon on a brand new 30,000 sq ft. skate park. The park is now hailed as one of the largest skateparks in Central Texas, and attracts skaters from around the state.

City officials cut the ribbon for the new park.

The 30,000 sq ft. facility features a street area, a mini ramp area and a flow bowl.

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New York, NY (Coleman Oval Park)

A few years ago New York City installed a modular park under the bridge at Coleman Oval Park. According to local advocate Steve Rodriguez this park had been skated for years before the skatepark was ever built. Eventually the city installed the modular equipment on a basketball court.

Apparently this has a great location for skateboarding because it’s easily accessible from any borough. However, the “cookie cutter” modular ramps were not cutting it, and something needed to change.

The initial skatepark installed at Coleman Oval Park consisted of a few modular ramps on an old basketball court.

In 2011,  a Nike and Architecture for Humanity Game Changer grant helped fund a new skatepark in place of the old modular park. The old modular ramps were discarded and a new state of the art concrete skate plaza took it’s place.

The new skatepark at Coleman Oval Park.

On June 21st 2012, which also happens to be Go Skateboarding Day, local skaters took their first crack at the park and almost 2,000 skaters showed up.

On Go Skateboarding Day NYC skaters got to try out the new park.

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The Woodlands, TX (Harper’s Landing Park)

Around 2004 The Woodlands constructed a small modular skatepark in Harper’s Landing Park. The small modular park included your basic set up including a bank ramp, rail, benches, etc.

Harper’s Landing 2004

Over the years the park began to deteriorate and equipment began to be removed. As of 2012, all that was left was a rail, a couple perimeter benches and a fire hydrant.

Harper’s Landing 2012

In 2012, The Woodlands sent out a RFP for a skatepark replacement and construction began on a brand new bowl. The existing slab had to be removed because it was in such bad condition.

Harper’s Landing Bowl Construction Begins

The newly completed bowl is 2016 square feet and equipped with tile and pool coping. This new feature has brought life back into the park, and has attracted skaters from across the state.

Jeremy Smith blast an ollie in the deep end of the new bowl.

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Owasso, OK

In 2003, the City of Owasso constructed a 17,000 sq ft prefab park. The park featured a mini ramp, a pyramid a fun box, quarterpipes and banks.

The skatepark grand opening in 2003.

In 2012, the ramps began to deteriorate and the city started looking for other options. Luckily, they hired a skatepark design/build contractor, and were able to improve and expand the existing skatepark with poured in place concrete features.

The Owasso prefab ramps being dismantled.

When construction started the park was expanded from 17,000 sq ft to 26,326 sq ft. Not only was a bowl added, but all the equipment on the slab was replaced with more unique and challenging features.

Owasso Skatepark Complete!

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Medford, NJ (Freedom Park)

In 2000, Medford constructed a prefab park mostly built of wood framed components. Unfortunately, the surface had drainage problems causing water to sit under the ramps and eventually the ramps began to rot.

Medford, NJ skatepark circa 2000.

In 2010, the city had to dismantle the wood park, and the park remained closed for almost two years. In 2012, a design/build firm was hired and built a new concrete bowl and street area.

The new park was built over the existing asphalt.

Grand Opening day was a big success.

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Lawrence, KS (Centennial Park)

In 1998, the City of Lawrence built 12,306 sq ft skatepark in Centennial Park. The park featured both wood and precast concrete features.

Centennial Skatepark Circa 2000.

In 2012, the city hired a skatepark design/build firm to improve the existing park. A major re-model began to take place include an above ground half bowl and resurfacing a good portion of the slab.

Framework for the new half bowl being built on top of the existing slab.

When the park was completed skaters immediately took to it.  Not only was there a new surface, but also a new half bowl, new hip, quarterpipes, rails and ledges.

Centennial Park completed!

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]]> http://www.skatepark.org/park-development/vision/2012/12/replacing-modular-parks-with-concrete/feed/ 2 http://www.skatepark.org/park-development/2012/11/the-skatepark-bid-process/ http://www.skatepark.org/park-development/2012/11/the-skatepark-bid-process/#comments Fri, 23 Nov 2012 05:16:26 +0000 SPS Staff http://www.skatepark.org/?p=2966

In most communities, it takes years to get a public skatepark built. Whether you are a skatepark advocate or a city official, it can be a challenging task from finding the location to getting the funding.

So lets say you have the perfect location lined up, and you have the funds available to build the park. The big question is: WHAT’S NEXT???

The next step is the bid process, and this is the most important step before the skatepark gets designed and built. It is in this process we see some cities make the wrong decision, and years of hard work go down the drain.

SPS strongly recommends an open bid process which lets multiple firms bid on your project. We also recommend poured in place concrete. After years of us working with cities we feel this is the most viable route in getting your skatepark built. We have seen too many follies with modular skateparks, and strongly urge against this route. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is what we recommend you watch out for:

Buy Boards: The buy boards allow cities to bypass the bid process and purchase directly from a vendor. There are both state and national buy boards. The main problem is that the product you purchase off  of a buy board has to be pre-manufactured. For example, playground equipment, shade structures or modular skatepark equipment. Some buy boards request you have part numbers and pricing for each product.

When it comes down to it only a small handful of modular skatepark vendors can sell through a buy board. Unfortunately,  a majority of the skatepark industry now uses poured in place concrete, and since you cannot put a part number on poured concrete it cannot be sold through a buy board. Therefore, when you go the route of a buy board you exclude a good portion of the industry from bidding on your skatepark.

The problem with the buy board is you could be getting a much better value for your dollar by going through the public bid process.  Especially when you are considering prefabricated steel equipment verses much longer lasting poured in place concrete. Keep in mind that most of the skatepark industry now builds public skateparks using poured in place concrete. Our advice is to keep your options open, and speak with multiple skatepark vendors before making your final decision.

Avoid this (steel modular)…

…and this (precast modular)!

Proprietary Spec Bid: When a city publicly bids a project (ie skatepark) usually a RFP (Request for Proposal) or a RFQ (Request for Qualifications) is sent out to interested contractors. In regards to a skatepark, these proposals specify what the city is looking for and their requirements for bidding on the skatepark. Unfortunately, these specifications can be taken advantage by the vendor and eliminate competition.

Ten years ago modular skateparks reigned supreme in the public skatepark world. There were multiple companies supplying cities with modular equipment, and their business was thriving. Both wood framed or steel framed equipment was the norm. Then one day the wood started to rot and the steel started to rust. As of 2012, there are only a small handful of modular companies in the U.S., and most of the industry is made up of vendors who specialize in poured in place concrete skateparks.

Unfortunately, these modular vendors are well versed in manipulating the bid process. We have seen many times where a RFP is spec’d in for steel equipment or precast equipment, and does not allow for any other construction methods.  The problem here is very similar to the limitations of the buy board. More companies in the skatepark industry are constructing skateparks using poured in place concrete. When the customer ops for a prefabricated build method, it severely limits the amount of competitive bids it can receive.

There is a myth that poured in place concrete skateparks are more expensive than modular parks, but the industry has changed dramatically. In the last few years, we have seen more companies in the industry that specialize in poured in place concrete which target cities with smaller budgets under $100,000. As a result, poured in place concrete skateparks have become a lot more price competitive when they go up against prefabricated skateparks. Why build with wood and steel when you can go with concrete at the same price?

Poteet, TX. Poured in place concrete. Built for under $30,000.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Over the years we have seen many bad skateparks built because of a weak RFP or a buy board bid, but that trend is slowly starting to fade. Every year we see more and more quality concrete parks being built. This may have more to do with the fact that most skatepark vendors build with poured in place concrete only, and that communities are now starting to do their research.

At SPS we provide both sample RFPs and a vendor list to get you best value for your dollar when it comes to building a skatepark. If a salesmen tells you differently we would like to direct you to our page outlining the disadvantages of modular skateparks.

In the end, we encourage cities to communicate with multiple vendors during the RFP process. The skatepark industry has changed a lot in the last few years, and you may end up with a better skatepark than you had initially imagined.

Poured It!

Polish It!

Skate It!

Request for Proposal for a Design & Build Skatepark

Scope of Services:

Provide complete design and build services for a state of the art poured in place skate park.

General Specifications:

• The city reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals, to accept any proposal deemed advantageous and to waive irregularity in the proposals.

• By providing a proposal, the vendor acknowledges and will adhere to all specifications as stated within this packet.

• Vendor is required to submit three (3) references of previous projects of similar or like nature.

• Proposals of any reputable manufacturer’s regularly produced product or such item similarly and substantially equivalent will be considered.

• Evaluation of proposals takes into account the following considerations: project approach, vendors experience and quality, demonstrated knowledge of the park’s skate areas and the community and ability to meet schedule and budget containment methodologies.

• Late submittals will be rejected without consideration.

• The city assumes no responsibility for costs related to the preparation of submittals.

• All proposals must be made on the required form(s). All blank spaces for proposal prices must be filled-in, in ink or typewritten, and the proposal form must be fully completed and executed when submitted.

• Proposal prices shall be firm for XXX days from bid opening.

• A conditional proposal may be cause for rejection.

• Any questions about the meaning, the intent or the specifications must be inquired by the Vendor in writing. Any and all questions will be responded to in the form of written addenda. All addenda that you receive shall become a part of the contract documents and shall be acknowledged and dated on the bottom of the Proposal Tabulation Page.

• Proposal tabulation, references , acknowledgement of the general specifications , equipment list and other information requested in the RFP must be received by the city on XX/XX/XXXX date.

Specifications and Acknowledgment

Vendor shall complete every space in the Vendor’s proposal column with either a check mark to indicate the item being bid is exactly as specified or a description to indicate any deviation of item being bid from the specifications.

Description of Requirement

Proposer’s Initial Project Timeline

1)

•Bid Due Date – xx/xx/xxxx

•Bid Review Date – xx/xx/xxxx

•Award Contract – xx/xx/xxxx

•Skate Parks Opens – xx/xx/xxxx

Project Budget

2) The project budget for design, equipment and installation for the improvement is $XXX,XXX.

Scope of Work

3) The contractor will furnish all labor, design services, engineering, construction management, administration, materials, equipment, services, transportation, insurance and daily expenses to meet the requirements of this scope of work and specifications. Prices shall be inclusive of all costs.

4) Vendor is responsible for removing and disposal of existing equipment.

5) Contractor is required to provide a projected design of poured in place skate park elements with proposal submittal. Design shall fit within the existing concrete slab.

6) Upon notice of award to the successful contractor, Contractor shall revise/finalize plan with staff and user input. Please plan on a minimum of one public meeting with users to gather input.

7) The square footage of existing slab is approximately xxxx square feet.
Measurements and attached site plans are approximate.

8) The park will be open to the public during the renovation of the skatepark area. The vendor is responsible for maintaining perimeter safety fencing around work area while project is under construction. A safe working area shall be maintained by the contractor.

9) Vendor is responsible for removing and the legal disposal of all construction debris from site at the Contractor’s cost.

10) Contractor shall complete work within XXX days of Notice to Proceed.

11) Steel prefabricated equipment or precast concrete equipment proposals will not be accepted.

12) Poured in place concrete shall have a minimum comprehensive strength of not less than 4,000 psi.

Proposal Evaluation

13) The following criteria will be used to judge the submittals:

•Manufacturer’s and Installers Quality, Years of Experience, Reputation, References – 20%

•Demonstrated knowledge of the parks and recreation system and the community – 15%

•Project Approach (Flow, Uniqueness, Play value, Creative Design & Good Use of Space, Meeting user needs, # of skate components) – 40%

•Ability to Meet Schedule and Budget Containment Methodologies – 25%

14) There will no pre-bid for the project; however, a walk-through is encouraged for this bid. Staff will meet potential contractors on-site to answer questions and will be available by phone, e-mail and fax.

15) State the number of calendar days for this project to be completed in the bid form.

Standard of Conduct

16) Work shall be conducted between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The city may direct specific times for certain work to be performed so as to not to interfere with the community events/services, which would include holidays.

17) Each employee will be identified by a company uniform (shirt, pants and cap) and vehicles will be clean and all marked with company name.

18) Safety of residents and visitors is of the utmost importance. It will be the contractor’s responsibility to secure areas where the work is taking place.

19) Contractor shall behave and operate in an environmentally sound and professional way, as to not create damage or cause exposure by virtue of negligence or omission.

20) Contractor is responsible for repairing any damage to facilities, grounds or landscape that occurred as a result of the work.

21) Equipment must be well maintained and in good condition.

22) Contractor shall complete work within XXX days of contract execution.

Bonds & Prevailing Wage

23) Contractor may be required to provide the city a performance bond in the full amount of the contract prior to the commencement of work, with premiums fully paid in advance by the contractor. The bonds will be on forms and drawn on sureties acceptable to the city and are included in the total project cost.

24) For this project, all contractor(s) and subcontractor(s) must pay the local general prevailing wages. This includes the rate for overtime work and legal holidays. Laborers or employees must be paid at or above the prevailing local wages. The minimum rate will be specified by the city and can be found in the Bid section of the city website.

Insurance and Taxes

25) No taxes shall be included in the bid price since the city is exempt from all sales tax. The city will provide selected vendor applicable proof of sales tax exemption.

26) Contractor shall provide the city acceptable proof of insurance, which meets the requirements as identified in this bid packet.

Sub-contractors

27) All construction shall be performed by the approved contractor or pre-approved sub-contractor only. A list of all sub-contractors proposed under this bid shall be submitted with the bid and shall meet all experience criteria. If no sub-contractors are outlined in the proposal, no substitutions of sub-contractors will be permitted.

Compliance with Laws

28) At Contractor’s own cost and expense, Contractor shall comply with all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations federal, state and local, and OSHA authorities and departments relating to or affecting the work hereunder, and shall secure and obtain any and all permits, licenses, certifications and consents as may be necessary in connection therewith.

29) Traffic control, where and when needed, that meets the requirements of the county shall be provided as part of the unit cost.

Payment

30) Partial payment will be paid by the city within XX calendar days after the invoice is received based on the Accounts Payable calendar which will be provided to the successful contractor.

Qualifications

31) Contractor shall provide names of key staff that participated on named projects and their specific responsibilities with respect to this scope of work.

32) Contractor shall provide a summary of contractor/vendor demonstrated capability, including length of time that your contractor/vendor has provided the services being requested in this Request for Proposal.

33) Contractor shall provide at least three (3) references that received similar services from your vendor. The city reserves the right to contact any of the organizations or individuals listed. Information provided shall include:

•Client name

•Project description

•Project start and end dates

•Client project manager name, telephone number and e-mail address

Warranty

34) Include warranty and any contractor warranties with bid submittal.

35) Provide maintenance and operations required for the proposed construction with submittal.

36) Include expected life cycle of the proposed construction with submittal.

Approvals

37) An award of contract is subject to city’s approval.

38) In addition to the city’s approval of the bid other approvals maybe necessary.

User Safety

39) The park will remain open for use by the public; contractor(s) shall maintain a safe area throughout construction.

40) Each contractor must ensure user’s safety when performing services in and around all locations.

Communication

41) Contractor(s) are expected to be in daily contact (email, phone, and fax) and weekly meetings with appointed project manager for the city. Additional meetings may be required between contractors selected regarding project related issues.

Value Engineering

42) Selected contractor will coordinate with the city a value engineering exercise to maintain probable cost within the established budget to insure project durability and quality.

Proposal Tabulation Form

Skatepark Design Build Fees
XXXX Park:
Performance Bond:

Number of calendar days for commencement following the notification date of service award______.

I, _________________________________________, certify that this proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a proposal for the same materials, supplies or equipment and is in all respects fair and without collusion of fraud. I agree to abide by all conditions of this proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign this proposal for the Vendor.
____________________________________
Signature
____________________________________
Name (please print)
____________________________________
Company
____________________________________
Date

Addendum Acknowledgement
Please sign to indicate that you received the addenda by signing your name along with the date received.

Addenda #1 ____________________

Addenda #2 ____________________

Addenda #3 ____________________

Contact Information: Please include your contact information.

Company: _____________________________________________________
Contact Name:
Contact Phone: _______________ Cell Phone: __________ Fax: _________
Email: _______________________________

References

Please provide information from three (3) references

1. Agency/Company:

Contact Name:

Contact Phone:

Products delivered:

2. Agency/Company:

Contact Name:

Contact Phone:

Products delivered:

3. Agency/Company:

Contact Name:

Contact Phone:

Products delivered:

With a crowd of 1,000 guests, a few hundred staff and volunteers combined, the Tony Hawk Foundation put on their 9^th annual Stand Up for Skateparks fundraising event on Sunday Oct. 7^th ,2012. Once again they rallied the troops and raised closed to a million dollars to help at-risk youth in low income communities across the U.S. who need quality public skateparks. As a Board member for Skaters for Public Skateparks, it was my first year volunteering for this event and I was truly honored to be there. I met many people who had either worked or volunteered for SUFS in the past. Everyone involved from the THF Staff and set-up crews to the vert legends in the demo and celebrities were all beyond kind and gracious. It felt very much like one big happy family. The underlying cause has obviously transcended the barriers of economic background and social status. In a day and age when I find myself continuously striving for progress in the grass roots effort of advocating for skateparks in my community and across the nation, it was extremely refreshing to see so many people in the same place who “get it.”

The man himself McTwisting for the masses.

This adventure started out for me the day before the actual event. I did everything from help set up the Kohl’s booth with an estimated 300+ pairs of shoes to running the Birdhouse clinic with 80’s Powell Team rider and inventor of the Judo Air, Adrian Demain. Talk about a down to earth, humble guy. I had a great afternoon working with and getting to know Adrian. We handed out dozens of Birdhouse Kickfilpper boards to guests. All they had to do was sign a quick waiver, throw on a helmet and get out on the parquet gym-like floor with a skateboard. We had everyone from UFC legend Chuck “Iceman” Liddell and Metallica bass player, Robert Trujillo to band members of headlining Jimmy Eat World participating. It was awesome! A couple of the Birdhouse Team members skated with many of the kid’s and fellow rider, Willy Santos stopped by. Several moms & dads got on boards as well. I helped one mother skate and saved her from a fall with a couples dance inspired dip. Shortly after, I made the mistake of assuming another mom needed my hands on assistance only to learn that she could skate quite well. I looked over to Adrian who motioned the ch,ch double slapping motion. We all got a good laugh out of that and fun was had by all.

Lincoln Ueda, Mat Hoffman, Andy Mac and Tony Hawk.

Back on Saturday evening, there was an exclusive poolside gathering at the Mondrian Hotel. It was here that I had the opportunity to meet the man responsible for all of the hype, Tony Hawk himself. His calm demeanor, yet very busy schedule reminded me of a few important background details that helped keep things in perspective. First of all, thru the best and worst of times Tony has always given back to skateboarding in many ways. He never stopped skating, inventing tricks, doing demos, along with many other elements of sharing the stoke and new steez. With all do respect to every other professional skateboarder in history and currently, Tony Hawk became a household name and connected the dots for all who don’t live and breathe the art or sport of skateboarding. He brought down walls and overcame stereotypes all while helping the general public desire to get more involved with their own children, to watch skateboarding continue to evolve and grow into the huge worldwide culture that it is today. My conversation with Tony  was understandably brief, however his impression on me and impact on the rest of the skating world and beyond has proven to be priceless.

Celebs Jon Favreau and Jason Lee introduce Tony Hawk.

It was on the ride to the airport with my good friend, skateparks mentor and Hawk Foundation Programs Director Peter Whitley, that another key detail hit me. As I was still reeling from everything that had taken place over the previous 3 days, I realized that Tony Hawk doesn’t have to do any of this. The coolest part is that not only does he, but truly wants to and it all just keeps growing. Ultimately benefiting more and more youth along with their families. Who else could gather so many professional skaters, bmx riders, other pro athletes, rock stars, movie stars, successful business people and more, all in one place to support and contribute to the future of skateparks. Quality designed & built, well located and permanent concrete constructed skateparks that is.

The Tony Hawk Foundation helps cities nationwide in building poured in place concrete skateparks.

These are just some of the celebrities who came out to enjoy the festivities in support of the Tony Hawk Foundation- Jon Favreau, Jason Lee, Shaun White, Chuck Liddell, Bill Walton, Fred Durst, Michael Rapaport, Leeza Gibbons, Willie Garson, J.R. Martinez, Lindsey Berg, Chris Harrison, Nyjah Huston, Mike “Rooftop” Escamilla, Robert Trujillo, Edwin Moses, Holly Robinson Peete, A.C. Green, David Spade, Marisa Quinn, Lou Wegner, Jason Ellis, Nate Mendel, Mike Vallely and DJ Z-Trip deejayed. The energy of the vert demo was amazing!  Legends Tony Hawk, Andy Macdonald and Kevin Staab, as well as Mitchie Brusco, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana, Lincoln Ueda, and BMX icons Jamie Bestwick and Mat Hoffman all killed it leaving the crowd wanting more. Good reason for everyone to plan on attending next year for sure. I found myself having a whole new respect for every one of riders after helping change the stickers out under the coping during the final stages of set up. Just standing on the deck was a humbling experience.

Chuck Liddell and family supporting a great cause.

With an opening press conference, hugely successful silent and live auction, lots of family oriented booths, games, tons of great food, a high flying vert demo and more, the day was rounded out with Jimmy Eat World performing live on stage. They put on a solid performance with musical energy that rivaled any show I have attended. Passion for the cause in helping secure the advancement of skateparks further across the country was very prevalent all day. Right up until the last song was played and conversation was had between friends old & new. The Tony Hawk Foundation continues to connect the dots one skatepark at a time. Recently they donated to their 512^th skatepark! With the caliber of this event, they are likely already planning for next year. My goal was to represent Skaters for Public Skateparks, give back to the THF and skateboarding/parks in general. It felt very surreal and indescribably good to do so. With so many caring and giving people working together, the future looks very bright for skateboarding youth across America. No deed is too small to bother doing in the grass roots cause of skatepark advocacy. Don’t ever hesitate to follow Tony and so many others example. The research has been done, the stats are out there (see the Public Skatepark Development Guide on the THF or SPS websites) and the benefits to at risk youth are immeasurable. I will continue to highly encourage every skater, parent and community servant to do what you can. If your neighborhood doesn’t have a skatepark, than your neighborhood is a skatepark. As skateboarding continues to grow worldwide, ignoring the problem will not make it go away. We need more skateparks! If you’re not sure where to start, go to http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/ and explore right here on http://www.skatepark.org/ . We work together to serve the greater good. No need to re-invent the wheel. There is a vast skateparks network in place and resources to help your community today!

Words: Mike Leeds

Photos: Tony Hawk Foundation

 SPS (Skaters for Public Skateparks) has researched modular above ground equipment since 2004. This types of skatepark, and the range of materials used to build them, had only a brief history and no real test data available. Yet many communities were choosing above-ground modular products in over a traditional poured-in-place concrete skatepark, which have been the standard since the 1970′s. SPS focused its research on durability in order to assess the value of investing in an above-ground modular skatepark, looking at both product lifespan, as well as maintenance.

After eight years of research, SPS has visited hundreds of park and we have concluded that this form of skatepark construction is not conducive to a public skatepark environment. We feel materials such as composite plastic, fiberglass, steel and wood will require serious maintenance with time. If the vendor or owner/operator fails to repair this equipment, it creates a very dangerous situation for the end user. The problem we are seeing is that above ground modular vendors have failed to produce a sustainable and safe product for a public setting. At the same time city officials have neglected these facilities and have let them fall into disrepair. Modular above ground equipment may work great in certain settings where a portable or temporary park is needed. However, we strongly recommend against this product being marketed as a permanent solution for public use facilities.

Interview with Ty Smith, Coordinator of the Summer at the Skatepark Program: Free Drop In Skateboarding coaching in Castlegar, BC

When was Castlegar Skatepark built?

The Castlegar Rotary Skatepark was completed in 2003 and was designed by Spectrum Skatepark Creations.

How was the park received?

In the beginning, the park was a huge step forward for the Castlegar skateboarding scene, but there was not a plan in place for skatepark activities and programming. The community, the Castlegar and District Recreation Center, RCMP and the city were struggling with many of the issues in and around the park. This created tension between the city and skaters, and surveillance equipment was installed.

In late 2009, I joined with the above organizations, along with Kootenay Family Place, to discuss what could be done to change the current skatepark culture. Luckily, we were able to get community support for the skatepark and positive changes started to occur through the formation of Friends of the Castlegar Skatepark.

The Castlegar Skatepark

How did you approach the non-profit organization you work for about introducing the Drop In To Skateboarding program?

Kootenay Family Place is a registered non-profit organization with charitable status committed to serving the needs of children and families throughout the West Kootenay Boundary region. In 2011, KFP was looking for another program to support our youth. After some preliminary talks a plan was made to apply for funding from BC Gaming. These funds would allow for free skateboard lessons at the Castlegar Rotary Skatepark.

What were the first classes like?

The program began in the Summer of 2011 with a gradual increase in participants over that Summer. Many skaters who learned the basics became hooked and continued to participate throughout the summer.

Ty Smith coaches one of his students through a 50-50 grind.

Why has it been successful?

Most importantly, it is having the necessary dollars to cover the instructor wages. Plus the program provided skateboards, safety gear, one on one coaching, steady hours and it is free of cost. On top of that, the daily updates on the Friends of the Castlegar Skatepark page generated a sense of excitement that the skatepark was a happening place.
Companies/organizations such as Skull Skates, S-One Helmets, Spectrum Skatepark Creations, sk8shoes4kids, Central City Shoes and Mountainfm.net have been 100% behind the idea of bringing the opportunity of skateboarding to everyone.

Has it improved the atmosphere of the park?

Yes! Having mentors/coaches at the skatepark 5 days a week, 6 hours a day has re-energized this public facility. Parents are socializing and spending time watching their children progress. Local skaters are supportive of the younger skaters taking up skateboarding. The local media attention for the Castlegar Skatepark has helped greatly in promoting the positive benefits of skateboarding as lifestyle choice.

Students Soren and Calypso gear up to get down.

How many participants?

In 2011, we had 130 people access the Summer program. When the 2012 program ended we had 190 participants from all around the Kootenay’s and beyond.

Future plans about branching out to other communities?

For now we are going to work to streamline the program in Castlegar. We are working on continuing the free lessons throughout the year at the Kinnaird Youth Indoor Skatepark pending funding.

As more communities show interest we will offer to guide them in the process of promoting positive programming for their local skateparks.

Ty Smith shredding up the Kaslo bowl.

Links

http://prezi.com/kxug3_ntymjz/castlegar-rotary-skatepark/

http://www.skatepark.org/sps-drop-in-instructor-accreditation/

For several years I have dreamed of getting world class skateparks built for our youth here in Wenatchee, WA. We are on the city’s Master Plan with a 50 plus page study and we have put in countless hours to make it happen.  However, anyone who has ever gone through the process of getting a skatepark built knows the challenges. Although it has been very frustrating at times and disappointing to the young skaters we are still making the best of it. We have added a few minor improvements to our  20 year old skatepark (that was never built correctly) and we built a small skate plaza across the river in East Wenatchee. Luckily, the locals in my community have rallied behind me and helped me with many fundraisers, awareness events, demos and keeping the parks clean. It is very inspiring to know even when there is no money in the city budget, the skaters still wake up every day, grab their boards and skate their hearts out regardless of skatepark delays and setbacks.

Enter the making of “Putting Wenatchee on the Map” a full 60 minute plus skate video produced by Derrik Kinzebach and friends. Derrik is a 20 year local skater that has big dreams with his own skating, but wanted to do something positive for skateboarding in our town. Over the past couple years he and his homies have shot countless hours of footage. Plus Derrik was able to get a hold of more footy that other local skaters were working on. As a result, he worked countless hours editing everything together. The idea came to me once I started to see the individual parts he was posting online. I called Derrik up and congratulated him on his accomplishments and shared my thoughts. I knew he wanted to put all of the parts together into one complete video and burn copies to give away, but I was feeling more. When I said I thought it would be amazing to have it shown at a local theater he agreed for sure, but he thought there was no way it would happen. We made a deal. I told him if he could finish the final edit with credits and all, then I would take care of the rest. It is important to mention that collectively all of the skater’s efforts to lay down their best tricks had blown me away as well. I couldn’t wait to make this happen for all of them and to reach out to the rest of our community.

The next seven weeks I proceeded to secure a venue, fund raise and market the premier of “Putting Wenatchee on the Map.” The title just made sense, so I had to do this right since the local skaters did their part. Although we are under served with adequate public skateparks,  they took today’s technology, old school love for skating and rallied together to show the world what the skate scene is like in North Central Washington. Derrik and I decided on the Performing Arts Center for the one night only premier. My goal was to make it as over the top Hollywood as possible to reward the skaters for all of their dedication and hard work. Not to mention to stoke out the rest of the community in attendance. We picked the date of Friday June 29^th which ended up being the last day of Skate Camp at Kenroy Park. There was a bit of a scheduling conflict, but it all worked out for the best. I had a limousine (paid for by Revolution Snow & Skate) pick up the featured skaters at Kenroy Park. As everyone was finishing up their week long camp, it was pretty awesome seeing their faces as the limo rolled up to the skatepark. Also every campers received a free ticket which was nice to be able to do.

As the skaters arrived at the theater, they walked out onto red carpet being greeted with cheers from family and friends. The energy was building to say the least. The scary part was I didn’t know what to expect once we went inside. Truthfully, we had only pre-sold seven tickets and there were editing issues with the video all afternoon. Even after several weeks of editing and promoting the event we were not sure if this would this be a nightmare or a huge success? We put posters & flyers all over the valley, had an event on Facebook and even a substantial write-up in the newspaper. Most of the parking was out back, so I really had no idea what to expect. My gut was that by pricing the tickets low and comping the right amount of people it would all work out. As I followed the stars of the show into the building I was very happy to see the lobby packed with people. Many whom I knew and some I did not which was what I was hoping for. One of the goals was to get as many parents, grandparents and others in our community to come out and see our local skaters killing it on the big screen. The great thing is that it worked! There were many family members, friends and others excited to see what the hype was all about. Although I didn’t get to meet him, Duff McKagan (Guns & Roses) who has a vacation home in the area was there with his family. Apparently,  he was low key and wearing a Mariners hat, and quietly taking in our local skate event. There was even a G-N-R song in the video, so it was perfect.

As the evening progressed, somehow the PAC staff got everyone seated and several of the skaters came up onto the stage with me to introduce the film. As we looked out over the audience, all I could think was, “We did it!” The theater was almost completely sold out. There were people of all ages cheering us on and amped to see close to 40 local skaters tear it up on the big screen. The energy was seriously amazing! Throughout the entire movie, the crowd clapped and cheered as they were amazed by what they were seeing. As soon as it ended, we got back up and thanked everyone again for attending, did some drawings and did an autograph signing in the lobby. I encouraged everyone there to follow us up to Pioneer Skatepark for a monster session and to take the opportunity to stop by our skateparks as often as they can. Although it was getting late for some of the little groms, we did see many of them at the skatepark that night. Our local skatepark efforts may not be on the time frame we would like, but skateboarding is alive and well in Wenatchee. We reached out to the community and they came through for this event. If you can build it and film it, then they will come.

Community for Wenatchee Valley Skateparks and the NCW Skate Core continue to work for our local skatepark cause indefinitely. Eventually we will reach more of our concrete goals. For now, the skaters will keep their cameras rolling and the stoke going no matter what. If you would like to support our cause, please Like us on Facebook and go to YouTube to watch the “Putting Wenatchee on the Map” original individual parts. The final “clean/family friendly” edit shown at the premier should be on there in its entirety very soon!

Years ago prefabricated sales representatives were fond of saying that a concrete skatepark cannot be built for under a $100,000 dollars. Since then things have changed for the better. Today you have more companies building concrete skateparks than companies that install wood, plastic and steel prefabricated skateparks. The companies who sold prefabricated ramps are either out of business or offer a concrete option.

Advocates and Parks Departments everywhere are facing shrinking budgets. Below are a collection of skateparks built across the nation for under $100,000. When it’s know we have included factors that helped them reduce their cost further.

The next time you are facing someone who is making critical skatepark decisions under the assumption that prefabricated ramps are less expensive than concrete, show them this gallery.

Please note that single-structure skate spots are not included in this gallery as they are universally less than $100,000. What you see here are all poured-in-place concrete skateparks; no pre-cast, no kick-plates, no kits, no prefab.

San Antonio, TX (San Pedro Springs Park)
7,000 sq ft
$6,000
Designed and built by the local skaters.
The park was built on an existing slab.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

San Antonio, TX (Southside Lions)
2,500 sq ft
$7,000
Designed by the CFZ Group.
Built by Lonestar Skateparks (aka Parthenon Custom Concrete).
Built on an existing slab.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

East Wenatchee, WA
Approx. 2,000 sq ft
$7,500
The parks was designed and built with 100% volunteer help and a large amount of in-kind donations. The project was headed by SPS Treasurer Mike Leeds.

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“Mini” West Linn, OR
Approx. 3,500 sq ft
Approx. $8,000
Designed and built by Placed to Ride Skateparks.
Built on an existing slab.
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Austin, TX (Patterson Park)
1,500 sq ft
$10,000
Designed and built by Ideal Skateparks.

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Wilmington, DE (East 7th Street Skate Spot)
7,000 sq ft.
$10,000
Designed and built by 5th Pocket Design
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Deep River, CT
4,000 sq ft
$18,000
Designed and built by Paprocki Concrete.
Materials and labor donated by the State Hwy Dept. and a local contractor.

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Poteet, TX
2,000 sq ft
$25,000
Designed and built by Parthenon Custom Concrete.

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Smithville, TX
4,000 sq ft
Approx. $30,000
Designed and built by Rex Ramps (aka Parthenon Custom Concrete).
Donated fill dirt.

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Grayling, MI
12,000 sq ft.
$30,000
Designed and built by Who Skates.
This park was built on an existing slab.

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Donald, OR
2,500 sq ft
$35,000
Designed and built by Dreamland Skateparks.

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Big Sandy, MT
Approx. 5,000 sq ft
$40,000 (Plus in-kind donations)
Designed and built by Grindline.

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Hampton, NH
$40,000
1800 sq ft.
Designed and built by Who-Skates Skateparks

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Standish, ME
3,000 sq ft
$43,000
Built and designed by Who Skates.

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Magnolia, TX
2,500 sq ft
Approx. $45,000
Designed by Ideal Skateparks.
Built by Adventure Playground Systems.

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Hondo, TX
5,000 sq ft
$45,000
Designed and built by Rex Ramps (aka Parthenon Custom Concrete).
Donated fill dirt.

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Navasota, TX
12,000 sq ft
$45,000
Designed and built by Ideal Skateparks.
The park was built on an existing slab.
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Hoquiam, WA
3,500 sq ft
$45,500
Designed and built by Dreamland Skateparks.

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Flatonia, TX
3,000 sq ft.
$50,000
Designed and built by SPA Skateparks.

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The Woodlands, TX (Forestgate Park)
7000 sq ft
$50,000
Designed and built by Misiano Skateparks

The park was built on an existing slab.
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Lee, MA
3,700 sq ft
$50,000
Built and designed by Who Skates.

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The Woodlands, TX (Bear Branch Phase 3)
4,500 sq ft
$50,000
Designed and built by Parthenon Custom Concrete.
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Carbondale, CO (Phase 2)
4,300 sq ft.
$60,000
Designed and built by Evergreen Skateparks.
The park was built with in-kind donations and discounted materials.
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Lyndon, VT
$63,000
3,290 sq ft.
Designed and built by Who Skates.
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Melvindale, MI
4,000 sq ft
$68,000
Designed and built by Who Skates.

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Sealy, TX
3,750 sq ft
Construction Budget: $68,500
Designed by Action Sports Design
Built by Misiano Skateparks
This does not include the design budget.
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Gentry, AR
2,250 sq ft
$74,000
Designed by Pillar Design Studio.
Built by general contractor.

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Tyler, TX (Phase 1)
2,300 sq ft
$75,000
Designed and built by Grindline.

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Manteo, NC
3,000 sq ft
$75,000
Designed by Pillar Design Studios.
Built by Artisan Skateparks.

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Spearman, TX (Phase 1)
3,500 sq ft
$75,000
Designed and built by Lonestar Skateparks (aka Parthenon Custom Concrete).

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Lockhart, TX (Phase 1 Bowl)
6,000 sq ft
$75,000
Designed and built by Parthenon Custom Concrete.
The park was built with a large amount of in-kind donations such as fill dirt, equipment and materials.

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Tonawanda, NY
3,800 sq ft
$80,000
Built and designed by Who Skates.
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Cottonwood Shores, TX
$80,000
5500 sq ft.
Designed and built by Parthenon Custom Concrete
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Florence, AL (Phase 2)
$84,000
2600 sq ft.
Design by Pillar Design Studios
Built by Artisan Skateparks
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Floresville, TX
5,000 sq ft
$85,000
Built and designed by SPA Skateparks.
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Plainfield, CT
4,000 sq ft
$90,000
Designed and built by Paprocki Concrete.

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Dalton, GA
5,600 sqft.
$90,000
Designed and built by Spohn Ranch.
The city donated fill dirt.

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Portland, OR (Holly Farm)
2,800 sq ft
$90,000
Designed and built by Dreamland Skateparks.

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Leander, TX
5,000 sq ft
$90,000
Designed and built by Ideal Skateparks.

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Suffolk, VA (Bennett’s Creek Skate Spot)
3,500 sq ft.
$95,000
Designed and built by Spohn Ranch.

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Saugerties, NY
5,000 sq ft
$96,000
Designed by Pillar Design Studios.
Built by Who Skates.

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Knotts Islands, NC
4,000 sq ft
$97,000
Design by Pillar Design Studios.
Built by Artisan Skateparks.

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Pawhuska, OK
5,000 sq ft.
$98,000
Designed and built by Native Skateparks.

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Greenville, IL
4,500 sq ft
$100,000
Designed and built by Who Skates.

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Canal Winchester, OH
5,000 sq ft
$100,000
Designed and built by Who Skates.

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Bay Village, OH
5,000 sq ft
$100,000
Built and designed by Who Skates.

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San Antonio, TX (Palo Alto Park)
6,000 sq ft
$100,000
Designed by Parthenon Custom Concrete.
Built by local contractor TCL.

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Mattoon, IL
6,000 sq ft
$100,000
Designed and built by Who Skates.
The park was built on an existing slab.

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Live Oak, FL
3900 sqft.
Approx. $100,000
Designed and built by Spohn Ranch.
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Marble Falls, TX
10,000 sq ft
$100,000
Built and designed by Parthenon Custom Concrete.
The park was built above an existing slab and included in-kind donations of materials and equipment.