NOTE: What follows is the foreword and introduction to the printed edition of the Public Skatepark Development Guide. For a free copy of the printed edition, (you only pay shipping and handling), please visit www.publicskateparkguide.org. The Guide is now in its Second Edition.

Why Skateparks?

By Tony Hawk

Why are skateparks important? The answer is obvious to those fortunate enough to have one in their community, while the unenlightened think that they are breeding grounds for trouble: a place where rebellious, outcast kids gather and conspire to commit crimes against traditional activities. This stereotype is not true, of course. And when a skatepark finally gets built in areas where the idea was first met with disapproval, the naysayers quickly realize what a positive impact it has on their communities.

Tony Hawk impresses the locals with a surprise visit to the new skatepark in Hailey, Idaho.

I was lucky enough to live near one of the last remaining skateparks in the 1980s, and I understand the sense of identity these places can provide to kids who don’t feel like they “fit in” elsewhere. Del Mar Skate Ranch was my sanctuary in my formative years. You could find me there after school on any given day, and it’s where I met many of my lifelong friends. We were considered outcasts, but we shared a common passion. The Skate Ranch made us forget about not “fitting in” because we were right at home in the empty swimming pools that filled the skatepark.

The privilege of having a place to skate was never lost on me, and I always wanted to help provide these facilities to those less fortunate. I’ve ridden a lot of skateparks in my day, and seeing the explosive growth of public skateparks in recent years has been very exciting–but alarming at the same time. I’ve watched some cities pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into skatepark projects, only to be misled by inexperienced “low-bid” contractors. In short: a city designs a park to fulfill the demand of local skaters, then hires a company to build it; that company has no experience with skateparks, employs no skaters who understand the nuances of skatepark features, and yet completes the project on-time, under budget, and with self-congratulatory press. The poorly constructed skatepark opens to disappointed skaters—who are then labeled as ungrateful and spoiled. The skaters may have spent several months petitioning, fundraising, and planning for the perfect park, but were forced to settle for something hardly skateable. It’s a vicious cycle that I wanted to help stop, so we formed the Tony Hawk Foundation.

Our goal is to empower groups trying to get public skateparks in their areas, and to provide a resource to ensure that the parks are properly built. We focus on low-income communities where skateboarders do not yet have a public skatepark. Our grants are not large enough to finance entire parks, but they often give groups the momentum they need to finish the project.

My main job at the foundation’s grant-making meetings is approving and suggesting changes to skatepark designs. But my favorite thing is seeing the parks themselves. I’ve had the privilege of attending a few grand openings, and the appreciation of the local skaters is overwhelming. It’s a blast to see the finished product, especially when they’ve taken my design comments into consideration. Even more gratifying is the sense of pride that the locals have when they finally get to ride the fruits of their labor.

Most of our grant applicants cite that the hardest part of getting a skatepark going is knowing where to start. You are now holding the key to this process, thanks to the foresight of some dedicated skaters. It’s a lot to take in, but well worth the effort in the end.