Roll to skatepark design success: building the perfect skatepark is harder than landing a tweaked frontside grabber—trust us, it's one tough trick

Parks & Recreation, August, 2005 by Heidi Lemmon

Your problems are over--your community finally approved the construction of a new skatepark. After all the budget meetings, you can now just find a company to design and build it. But if you threw out your aspirin thinking all your headaches were over, you better make another trip to the pharmacy.

Building a skatepark has proved difficult for a variety of communities because of the lack of construction standards in place. Organizations like the Skatepark Association of the United States of America (SPAUSA) have spent years working on the problem, and have tried to develop concrete and wood guidelines. However, these may be years away from the American Standards and Testing Materials (ASTM) approval.

All hope isn't lost though--you can still build a solid skatepark if you know what to watch out for and hold your contractors accountable. Hiring qualified designers and builders should be the first consideration for anyone planning to build a new skatepark. If you use a landscape architect, be sure your construction crew follows the specifications and is held accountable--they should be able to build the park within a 1/8-of-an-inch of the specs.

Identifying common construction problems early can help you save money down the road spent on repairs, or even on an entirely new skatepark. It will also help keep skaters and riders visiting the skatepark, rather than avoiding it because of unsafe or boring ramps and features.

Ramp Up

By far the most common problem with above-ground parks is movement and shifting of the ramps that causes gaps. The gaps can be very dangerous, and could create a legal situation where the city would be liable for injuries sustained while riding them. Skateboarders can catch a finger in the gaps, fall into the sharp edges that have lifted up from the ground or just fall because of the uneven surface. Bike riders have less problems riding over the gaps, but in a fall they could also be injured by the sharp-pointed metal edges that are lifting up.

The landing area of the ramp must be built to accommodate many riders (see photo above). These riders in turn will be landing with varying degrees of psi (pounds per square inch). About five or six years ago, avert ramp at a BMX contest in Europe collapsed under the weight of the riders and crew. It was a case of a temporary structure, built for one event that was not engineered properly. The builder did not anticipate the weight of the riders and crew, and it started to move and creak. Fortunately everyone got off" before it collapsed. All above-ground ramps should be properly engineered, stamped and built to codes, which can vary from state to state.

The most common mistake when building mini-ramps is making then] too low and or too narrow.

A mini-ramp should be a minimum of 24 feet wide. Anything less will not be used because it is too narrow for riders to learn tricks. One company was even selling mini-ramps that had a kink in them and were completely unrideable. A mini-ramp is a must at an above-ground park, but it has to be acceptable to riders skateboarding in public parks. A good size for a mini-ramp is five to eight feet high and 24 to 36 feet wide.

In addition to ramps, elements in the landing area, such as a fun box (a wooden or metal rectangular box where skaters can grind), also need to be designed and built to withstand repeated landings. The fun box in the photo to the left is collapsing and is also creating dangerous gaps with sharp edges. With no standards in place and no funds to write or research the standards, agencies will need to rely on the design and construction company working on the project. Make sure they are qualified, ask for references and follow up with them. Make sure all products are engineered and guaranteed against defects, even obstacles within the park.

Surfacing Solutions

Heavy-gauge steel surfaces are smooth and can provide a good riding surface, but care must be taken when choosing them. They can become very hot, can rust and are also noisy. In the book, Ride of My Life, pro biker Mat Hoffman writes about a rider who was knocked unconscious and received third-degree burns from the ramp while waiting for an ambulance. If your park is located in a hot climate, and a wet or residential area, steel surfaces might not be the best choice. Alternative surfaces include ones made out of concrete, plastic, wood or a similar surface.

If you choose an above-ground park that has surface screws (do not use nails on the surface because they will pop up), you must check the park on a regular basis for screws that need tightening. Also make sure to inspect them after a rain--the surface may start to lift up at the corners and the surface material will need to be reinforced.

Both steel and wood are excellent building materials for the base frame of the park. SPAUSA recommends closing off the area under the ramp to help keep out litter, kids and homeless people from taking up a residence under the ramps. It will also help to reduce noise. The areas must be well-ventilated if you are using a wood frame, and must provide drainage so water doesn't pool beneath your ramps.