There are no small skateparks.

[Ashley Mott]

I keep running into an interesting phenomenon here in CO...

Basically, when designing new municipal parks, many design firms are throwing in these "skate skills areas" or "skate/inline areas." Basically, whatever catch phrase you can think of for a small skatepark (< 5,000 sq.ft.). In most cases, these spots are getting built without skater input (no design workshops) and are going out to bid unnoticed by reputable skater staffed design/build firms.

A lot of times, municipalities are caught off guard if skaters happen to find out and want a say as to what these little skateparks will be. They can't seem to believe that we would care about a little spot.

My question is: How can we, as advocates, stay in the loop on these small projects? Why do these projects so often fly under the radar? Am I blowing it?

[Grinch]

Yes, Ashley, you're blowing it... go hit yourself in the head with a rock as punishment...

I have to laugh because 5,000 square foot parks are what we get in the Northeast. Of course there are exceptions but we are lucky to have $100,000 to play with including design and dirt.

I do feel your pain, the same thing is happening near me with a local dip$$hit hiring locals to build an engineer-designed park... all with no bids, hmmmmm.

[Ashley Mott]

I have to laugh because 5,000 square foot parks are what we get in the Northeast. Of course there are exceptions but we are lucky to have $100,000 to play with including design and dirt.

Hey Grinch, I had a feeling my lamenting over these "small" skateparks would grate at my east coast brethren. I know how good we have it but, I don't want to be complacent. I don't want these to slip by.

[Carter Dennis]

Ash,

Ever since I started working on the index and really seeing what is out there I am amazed. There are so many skateparks in my state I have never heard about. It's almost like they are built under the cover of darkness. No public meetings, no advocacy, no design input. Nothing! Except something like this....



So I started doing some google work and there you go. City council meeting minutes, newspaper articles or some kids myspace account. Yes! There are ways to find these projects and forward them on to the proper authorities.

[SkateMN]

Minnesota is FILLED with these types of parks! it has got to stop! and all public parks must be under 4 ft. that is something else... And it seems to be a bitch to get over turned.

[Chad Balcom]

The phrase 'flying under the radar' is right.

Often times this is a huge advantage, as the cost of acquisition is much easier to swallow.

Other times it is a disadvantage, as you guys are finding out. Across the river from me (Vancouver, WA) there are little spots like these popping up, with no apparent process. They are mostly good, but there are many little issues with run-up, orientation of elements in relation to grade of pavement, etc., which really hold back the potential of the spots.

[Istriz]

We are in the process of building a park of that size in Michigan. I have been the main advocate in our community and it is a constant battle to advocate for something really special, even in that small size.

Our biggest hurdle has been well meaning people who just don't see the difference between a well done park and something picked by an amateur out of a catalog. There absolutely must be a local advocate willing to do the research and able to present informed arguments. Our kids almost got a plastic ramp park last year, it didn't happen and now we are getting a concrete park. We are very excited.

Luckily for us though, there was a great deal of support locally and people were at least willing to listen to what we had to say.