Skateparks are Rising Rec Segment

Tony Hawk performs a Stalefish air during a demo in Missoula, Mont. The Mobash public skatepark received a $10,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation in 2005 to help construct the park. Hawk brought a group of pro skateboarders to the park's grand opening in 2006.

American cities will spend as much as $18 billion on skateparks in coming decades, says Kent Dahlgren of the Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS) advocacy group. Skateboarders number at least 11 million in the U.S., with those millions putting pressure on streetscapes as they await additional skateparks.

The demand for dedicated skate facilities is an opportunity for landscape professionals, but it takes experience to get rolling. A number of resources (listed below) can help architects and contractors join this booming segment.

A photo from the Public Skatepark Development Guide shows a worker using Shotcrete to assemble a park bowl. The free publication covers planning, fundraising, design and construction; and is a concise introduction to building skateparks.
Photo: from the Public Skatepark Development Guide (2007)

Overcoming Obstacles

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Statistics show that skateboarding is among the fastest-growing youth sports in the country. The number of participants (and skateparks) mushroomed at least 50 percent between 1998 and 2005, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

Close to 2,000 skateparks are already scattered across the country, with plans for several hundred more in the works. About 250 exist in California alone, industry insiders estimate.

Skilled Firms Have Advantage

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A coalition of skatepark advocacy groups worked together to create the resource, which is available for a $6.95 shipping and handling fee.

www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org
www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org
www.skateboardiasc.org