StraightFromTheHip

Details:

Completed: July 2006

Location: Black River Falls, Wisconsin

Description: A case for hybrid

Situation:

The Black River Falls Rotary Club had chosen to sponsor the construction of a skatepark in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Rotary International. Members of the Rotary Club, the City and local riders formed a committee to investigate their options for developing a skatepark that reflects the unique culture and landscape of Black River Falls.

Key Challenges:

A skatepark did not exist in the Black River Falls community, thus forcing the local riders to travel to other communities with skateparks or ride in the streets. The riders were constantly being kicked out of local parking lots, churches, schools, etc. and so the City decided it was about time to give them somewhere safe and legal to go.

Process Highlights:

• Numerous committee meetings were held to decide what type of skatepark construction, what type of riding elements, where it would go and how much it would cost.
• It was decided that riders wanted a skatepark with a good balance of street and transitional elements.
• The committee also came to the conclusion that a hybrid design with some concrete elements and some above-ground ramp equipment would be the best compromise to give riders what they wanted and keep budget in check.
• The design team was selected and they met with the committee to gather information about rider preferences. Design team also researched the local culture, architecture and skate spots in order to create a design that would be unique and reflective of the area.

Results:

• An aesthetically pleasing and fully integrated hybrid design offering a good balance of street and transitional riding experiences along with a good balance of concrete elements, above-ground ramp equipment and landscaping.
• Accomodates all skill levels and riding styles.
• Some of the distinctive features include:
  • Use of local rock and colors through the park, creating unique multi-tier riding formations resembling the “Black River Falls”.
  • A partial bowl/spine area that integrates with the entry pathway and flows with the rest of the course.
  • Design sets a new standard for hybrid skateparks by placing the above-ground ramp equipment inset into custom designed concrete block retaining walls, thus minimizing noise, eliminating need for guardrails and significantly reducing overall maintenance.
• You can view additional images and video footage of this interesting skatepark here.

SFTH Comments:

The Rotary Club Skatepark is an excellent example of how a hybrid design can accomodate the wants and needs of the riders and still provide an aesthetically pleasing valuable addition to the community. Not only is this skatepark a very good “fit” for the community but it also compliments the surrounding network of skateparks in the area. This project also shows how a truly collaborative process between the community, the designers and the contractors can be very successful at meeting the needs of everyone involved and yielding a facility everyone can be proud of for years to come.

Content and images provided courtesy of ARTIFEX Skatepark Environments

Details:

Date: 1977 - Present

Location: Jacksonville, Florida

Description: The oldest operating privately owned skatepark in the world

History:

30 years ago Kona Skatepark was one of the parks that opened during the skateboarding boom of the late 70’s. Today Kona is the oldest operating privately owned skatepark in the world, and maybe the most famous. Kona’s terrain was the training ground for many of today’s Pros.

Since its opening, Kona has hosted numerous national exhibitions and competitions, including the USA Open Skateboarding Championship. Some still pay homage to the park by including it as a stop on pro tours such as Tony Hawk’s Gigantic Skate Park Tour. The facility has been made legendary by people such as Hawk, who tells stories about his visits and has included it in his Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 video game.

Timeline:

February 1977: Construction of Kona Skatepark begins.

June 4, 1977: Kona opens, with little fanfare.

March 1978: USA Open Skateboarding Championship is held at Kona, attracting most of the top pros in the sport. It’s the highlight of Kona’s brief history.

Fall 1978: Kona closes. Mismanagement and a crash in the skateboard craze are factors.

Late 1978-June 1979: Skateboarders and bicyclists find their way through the fence - what a surprise - and continue to use the closed park.

June 1979: Martin and Helen Ramos buy Kona and reopen it.

1980: Kona opens the first serious half-pipe at a park.

Early 1980s: Kona is often almost empty, though the park - one of the few still in existence - continues to host big contests.

July 1982: Californian Tony Hawk, a legend in the making, skates at a contest at Kona. He is 12.

Mid-to-late 1980s: The sport develops an underground image as street skating becomes popular. Business picks up at Kona, which builds mini-ramps for those with little interest in the big vertical drops of old.

Early 1990s: Skateboarding slumps again, badly. Only the growing popularity of in-line skating keeps the park alive. In-line skaters far outnumber old-fashioned skateboarders.

Sept. 23, 1995: Martin Ramos dies at 62.

January 1996: His son, Martin Ramos III, takes over as park manager.

Mid-1990s: Skateboarding picks up as ESPN’s X Games become popular. Kona’s vertical surfaces are suddenly in demand again.

Dec. 1999: Kona opens its big “street” course of obstacles, jumps and grinding poles.

July 2000: Hawk’s Gigantic Skatepark Tour comes to Kona. It’s one of many stops there for Hawk.

2002: The Ramos family buys Stone Edge Skatepark in South Daytona. The family is inducted into the Florida Skateboard Hall of Fame.

Fall 2002: Kona is featured on in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 video game. Owners Martin Ramos III and his mother, Helen, are characters in the game. People ask them for autographs. The publicity helps business greatly.

2003: Noticing that original Kona skaters are bringing their kids to the park, Kona institutes a “parents skate free” policy.

July 7, 2007: Kona celebrate its 30th anniversary. As part of the celebrations top pros Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi, Dave Duncan, Sergie Ventura, Duane Peters, Mike McGill, Alan Gelfand, Mike Peterson, Buck Smith, Benji Galloway, Henry Gutierrez and Adam Taylor performed skateboard demos and there were live music performances by McRad, Smiles, and Frontside 5 with a special performance by Ray Barbie.

Park owner Martin Ramos III, an avid skateboarder himself, said he was excited about the size of Saturday’s crowd after a somewhat private party Friday night drew more than 1,000 people.

“When all these people come back and … tell me the impact of the park, what it meant to them as they grew up and made friends and learned about life, it makes me feel good,” said Ramos, 39.

Results:

• After a lot of ups and downs over the past 30 years the Kona Skatepark is still surviving and going strong.
• Kona Skatepark provides park veterans, first-time vistors and travelling action sports teams with a unique place to ride and experience a rich history of skateboarding and skatepark culture.
• Check out photos of the Kona 30th Anniversary Celebration here.
• Check out video footage of the Kona 30th Anniversary Celebration at Go211.com here.
• Click here to read a great write-up and view a video clip on 411VM.com about the 30th Anniversary event.
• Read more about the Kona Skatepark at their website here.

Content and images provided courtesy of Martin Ramos III - www.konaskatepark.com, www.Go211.com, www.jacksonville.com, Jim Schoettler & Matt Soergel - The Florida Times-Union

Details:

Date: Late 90’s - Present

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Description: Skatepark Master Planning, a “Skatepark System”

Situation:

It was the late 90’s and not many skateparks existed. The City of Albuquerque completed construction and opened their centrally located Civic Plaza (a street skater’s dream). It was immediated sessioned by the local skateboard community and even attracted touring action sports teams. This was occuring at the same time other public parks were becoming unsafe in the city.

Key Challenges:

• Skaters severely damaged the newly construction civic plaza
• No legal place for local riders to go
• City parks were becoming dangerous problematic

Process Highlights:

• The local skateboarders petitioned for a place to go
• City conducted feasibility studies
• Built the first regional skatepark (Los Altos)
• City recognized need for a larger master planned “Skatepark System”
• Policy/structure for funding skateparks in the system fall under the following categories:
  • Regional
  • Quadrant
  • Neighborhood
• Types of skateparks included in the “Skatepark Master Plan”:
  • In-ground — concrete construction
  • Above-ground — modular ramp equipment
  • Hybrid combinations

Results:

• A good system of planning and positioning skateparks has been established to keep up with the needs
• Provides the most riding opportunities with the least amount of travel
• Skateparks that cater to all skill levels and riding disciplines
• The skateparks have brought a positive activity to problematic parks

SFTH Comments:

Planning skateparks by oranizing them into formal “Skatepark Systems” is a growing trend across the United States and Europe. Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ have been doing it for some time now and Portland, OR and Denver, CO are underway, to name a few. A lot can be learned from Albuquerque, NM which now hosts one of the world’s most well rounded skatepark offerings. Wish this would have happened in the late 80’s/early 90’s so us Gen Xers could have reaped the rewards with better knees!

Content and images provided courtesy of ARTIFEX Skatepark Environments, City of Albuquerque website

Details:

Date: 1999 - Present

Location: San Diego, California

Description: A case for DIY (Do-It-Yourself)

Situation:

In 1999 public Skateparks in San Diego were almost non-existent aside from the Encinitas YMCA and a few private facilities. In fact a municipal executive decision was made to create a task-force to deal with the issue of skateboarders and skateboarding in the City of San Diego.

Police officers were being tasked extra hours with the mission of ticketing and incarcerating skateboarders. Frustrated with the situation, dedicated skateboarders Joe Pino and Glen Wagner decided to take matters into their own hands. They found an uninhabited, drug infested site under the Washington Street Bridge and went to work…

Key Challenges:

When the city realized a skateboard park was being built without their permission actions were taken immediately to tear it down. Bulldozers moved in and the park was surrounded with highway barriers to close the space off.

Process Highlights:

• Skaters protested and formed the official Washington Street Skatepark Association (non-profit organization)
• Mass media exposed the story and created enough public support that the city heard their story
• City council meetings are attended and community leaders took a stand to support the issue and finally the park was allowed to stay
• Land use permits, encroachment and removal permits, construction insurance, and most noteworthy - the one and only Engineering Permit (a $2400 piece of documentation) enabled construction to begin
• Hanger 18 skateshop owner Ken Lewis lead the fundraising efforts and got the required blue-prints approved by Sr. Engineer Mohammed Sammak

Results:

After a long hard battle for legitimacy, funding and construction, the Washington Street Skatepark is now an official San Diego public skatepark. The result of numerous art shows and music events, many generous sponsors, and of course a group of dedicated and hardworking volunteers along with a very patient City of San Diego.

• Top-rated skateboard park in Southern California (an international destination)
• Winner of Thrasher Magazine’s T-Eddy awards for Best Park
• Recipient of the San Diego Channel 10 News Leadership Award

SFTH Comments:

What more can be said…The efforts of the now famed Washington Street crew drove vagrants away and provided what is now great skatepark facility in the downtown area where one was much needed. DIY skatepark solutions are not for every community but it certainly goes to show the passion, pride and ownership skateboarders live and breathe every day.
Parting Message: Build them, so they don’t have to!!

Content and images provided courtesy of Washington Street Skatepark Association

Details:

Completed: Fall 2005

Location: Trumann, Arkansas

Description: A case for above-ground ramp equipment

Situation:

The City of Trumann attended a playground workshop presented by Kaboom and opted to focus their efforts on a skatepark instead! They developed their plan and secured funding through a combination of sales tax increases and the award of a Kaboom grant.

The City of Trumann had a limited budget and no dedicated staff to manage a more complex in-ground project, so in the best interests of the community it was decided to select above-ground ramp equipment that would provide the youth with a different riding experience.

Key Challenges:

• Skaters had no where to ride locally and were intimidated by the in-ground concrete skatepark nearby (Jonesboro, AR - see the image above, courtesy of Grindline Skateparks).
• City Council had difficulties receiving design/installation offerings from manufacturers fitting
  within their budget once the site was chosen.

Process Highlights:

• Numerous city planning meetings and public design workshops were held.
• Project was sent out for bid, vendor designs came in at budget.
• Design team/manufacturer with skateboarding and design experience took the extra time to make several visits to Trumann and worked with the city and local youth to translate their ideas into sound design solutions that fit within the budget parameters.

Results:

• Skatepark design and equipment installation came in on time and on budget.
• October 8, 2005 - Skatepark Grand Opening was held.
  • Pro skateboarder Dorian Tucker attended a demo for the event.
  • Huge turn out and a very memorable day for the City
• The Skatepark is a big success for the city and the riders now have a place to improve their skills so they can enjoy more advanced parks when the opportunities arise.

SFTH Comments:

The story of Trumann is an excellent example of when an above-ground skatepark really “fits” and compliments the surrounding community skateparks. This story also further underscores the importance of involving experienced skatepark planners/designers early on to help effectively guide the process and develop a design compromise that best suites the community.

Content and images provided courtesy of Landscape Structures Inc.