conduct a feasibility study for a skatepark
A skatepark development project can become emotionally and politically charged with strong feelings on both sides of the aisle. Sometimes, neighborhood groups and businesses protest the placement of a new skatepark in a previously undeveloped corner of a public park. Occassionally, a small but vocal group of skaters will dominate a public meeting; effectively silencing the younger skateboarders in attendance.
What are the objective measures for where a skatepark should go, how big it should be and what elements it should feature? Unlike sports with strict design criteria like tennis & basketball or even sports with looser guidelines like baseball and golf, skatepark design can seem like a totally random and arbitrary grouping of unfamiliar shapes and profiles. Other than the opinions of the local skateboard community, how does a city official or landscape architect determine the major questions that must be faced before fundamental design choices can be made?
Skatepark Workshop offers an objective, systematic assessment covering 360 degrees of skatepark development (click each topic for more information):
- Greenspace Inventory & Population Analysis
- Local & Remote Public Involvement
- Review of Municipal Protocol, Permits & Approvals
- Competitve Landscape of Nearby Public & Private Skateparks
- Placement of Sample Designs on Potential Sites
- Initial Generic Cost Estimate for Local Area
Please get in contact we will get back to within 48 hours with more information and a proposal for moving forward.
Greenspace Inventory & Population Analysis
What are the potential spots around town for a skatepark? Typically, these are found on land already controlled by the Parks Dept., but sometimes can include School, Law Enforcement or State Parks land. Which potential sites are near mass transit with good population density and a safe corridor for walkers and bikers to reach the park?
The Greenspace Inventory & Population Analysis is a high-level review that can typically be generated using existing master plan, GIS and census information. If your skatepark project has "sustainability" as a goal, it begins here.
Individual Site Assessment
Each site has a unique topography, drainage and acessibility that needs to be viewed in terms of action sports & the skateboarding/BMX community. When concepts like CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) and stormwater management are addressed before a site is selected, the chance for a successful long-term skatepark goes way up.
Skatepark Workshop can either send staff to conduct an Individual Site Assessment or coordinate with a local landscape architect / engineer.
Local & Remote Public Involvement
Is there sufficient interest among local youth to justify building a skatepark? If so, how large does it need to be to serve the likely number of skaters? What mix of elements is needed to keep users engaged and active? These are the questions that Local & Remote Public Involvement addresses.
Through a series of webcasts, webinars, surveys, Facebook comments and in-person public meetings, Skatepark Workshop can compile a full dossier on your local action sports community. Plus, chances are that one of our national advocates knows the leader of your local scene. That gives our outreach (and conclusions) the credibility to insure buy-in at every level of skateboarder and BMX rider.
Review of Municipal Protocol, Permits & Approvals
Like any municipal facility constructed on public land, there are necessary permits and approvals required by law. These standards make sure that skateparks used by the public are built in a professional manner using industry-standard methods and materials. Whether building a small ramp park on a tennis court or doing major sitework and a full-pipe, there is always a process of submittals and approvals before the project is shovel-ready.
Our experts know how to identify all the people involved in the approval process and ask the right questions to avoid problems down the road. Too many projects have been delayed by permitting, zoning and other bureaucratic red tape. While there is value to remaining "under the radar", we know how to get the vital information needed for approval (including any shortcuts).
We offer stand-alone proposals to review your municipal process and bundled services to complete a suite of tasks that will propell your project toward success. Please email us or fill out the Skatepark Profile form to learn more.
Competitive Landscape of Nearby Public & Private Skateparks
While understanding the need inside your community for a skatepark is important, developing the best strategic park often includes looking outside your city. Whether planning a facility that complements or competes with other nearby skateparks and action sports parks, it is important to know what's out there. With in-depth analysis and opportunity assessment, we can present options that let you choose what impact to have on the local scene.
Is there a destination-level skatepark nearby that serves the need for larger elements?
Does the City want a park that just serves local users without attracting outside use?
Can the City join with nearby communities to target "skatepark tourists".
Placement of Sample Designs on Potential Sites
Like any large scale construction project, it can be very challenging to understand how a design will fit into a footprint. In the early phases of planning, it is invaluable to have a large archive of sample designs in a variety of dimensions and footprints. By putting a sample design on a site and roughing out the dimensions, elevations and drainage, the project can garner feedback from engineers, city officials and other decision makers early in the process - avoiding problems and giving the skatepark designer all the limitations and constraints they need to do the final design.
Our library includes all kinds of skateparks with all kinds of features - ranging from all bowl flow parks to architectural plazas with no curved surfaces. In between are solid designs with elevations, basic drainage plans and cost estimates.
Initial Generic Cost Estimate for Local Area
How much does a skatepark cost? That is the $64,000 question (for those old enough to get the reference). Because this number is so hard to determine, most municipal projects are first designed, then cost estimated, wth the final construction bid often far different than the engineer's estimate. Whether under-estimating or over-estimating, the overall success of the project is hindered when cost is not considered on a dynamic basis during the entire design, engineering and construction documentation process.
Determining the likely cost for a skatepark in your community (especially before the design is complete) requires a combination of market research, bid history analysis, site assessment and design break-down. By completing this work before conceptual design begins, you have the knowledge to assess future design and cost estimates for accuracy and competitiveness.
If you are interested in these and other services, please contact us. We are the only firm that provides unbiased, professional consultation for skatepark design, construction and operations.
Email us skateparkadvocate@gmail.com or fill out our contact form to get a proposal and move forward.