Skateboard Park to Serve Children or Adult Needs?

It will be interesting to see if the new skateboard park will be designed for the benefit of children or the ease of adults or, if the actual child users (boys ages 10-17 years), will be engaged and part of the design process like the original park which surveyed and welcomed on committee, actual skateboarders rather than adults who never took to the wheels. Across the nation and the world, municipalities who built low- cost parks for the efficiency of Park Department’s maintenance budgets and personnel, utilizing concrete construction were swiftly abandoned to cement jungles ( some eye sores with above the ground half pipes). Will there be a concrete eye sore abandoned in the middle of McIntyre Park? Will it be a street park or a ramp park? Do city officials know the difference?

Here are the comparisons, through the eyes of children, between wood and concrete construction:

1) INJURY- What child (or parent) would prefer skating on a surface with the knowledge of acquiring severe lacerations, scrapes and bruises even concussions or breaks from contacting such a brutal, unforgiving surface as concrete? By contrast, specially treated wood ramps and recycled plastic flooring mats allows for children’s mishaps, and there are multitudes while learning to skateboard, with pliable, giving surfaces.

2) COST PER CHILD- Children are more aware of the personal costs that concrete half pipes inflict because some who love to skate cannot afford the price of constantly replacing wheels after being degraded by concrete surfaces. Wheels last much longer on softer wood surfaces, allowing more diverse socioeconomic groups to partake in the sport. Then there is the cost os personal injury…..

3) MAINTENANCE- Yes, it would cost less in the short run to pour concrete instead of replacing wood as it decays or chips over the years. In the long run, it is the children who will be suffering from the misguided decisions of adults AND the city risks the abandonment issues sustained by other concrete facilities.

4) PERFORMANCE- anyone who skateboards, bikes or inline skates knows that the softer the surface, the more acceleration, the more enjoyable the sport. Wheels gain momentum from the up and down human force on the board. The harder the surface, the less likely momentum will be achieved by the vehicle.

5) LIABILITY- Would there be an increase in injuries sustained by youths that would find the city in constant litigation or higher insurance premiums? You be the judge.

6) OPEN HOURS- Why is the skatepark any different than children’s playground equipment? Why are playgrounds open to the public without supervision and skateparks closed because of the need for constant paid personnel? It is a waste of taxpayer funds to build such a park and not have it be utilized when children are on school vacations, days off or during the hours that children normally partake of the sport.

Hopefully, the city will take into consideration all of these points with children’s health and well-being as well as the personal funds spent on equipment before designing the new park! Concrete- unyielding, more severe injuries, wear and tear on children’s equipment, litigation and/or higher insurance costs OR Wood- yielding, forgiving, less severe injuries, less equipment wear and tear, lower insurance costs. Time will tell whether the interests of children surpass the needs of adults!