The Maloof brothers funded the $1.15 million project through the Adopt-a-Park program and will provide $225,000 for maintenance of the skate park over three years. Joe Maloof said, “New York was first on our list of expansion markets because it’s the headquarters for skateboarding on the East Coast and is home to some of the most iconic skate spots in the world. With the Brooklyn Banks set to close for four years, the timing was perfect for us to bring the Maloof Money Cup to New York City. The skateboarding community is really phenomenal in how open and inclusive they are of everyone.”

Here’s video of Paul Rodriguez, Shane O’Neill, Ishod Wair, Ryan Decenzo and Louie Lopez breaking in the park: The park, which was built above the old Astral Fountain from the 1964 World’s Fair, has “Original Brooklyn Banks 9-stair replica rail; Union Square rail/steps Police Plaza 7-stair rail/various stairs; Ziegfeld ledge; Chrystie Park ledge; Exchange Place street gap; JFK Banks; Con Ed Banks; Pyramid ledges; Flushing Meadows Park ledge-over-the-grate replica.” The Parks Department estimates there are 1 million skaters in the five boroughs. As for the Maloof Money Cup, tickets are free, but were distributed through certain venues around the city (there is a giveaway at the Festival Village, though). You can also watch it via webcast. [http://www.maloofmoneycup.com/dev/] http://gothamist.com/2010/06/05/maloof_money_cup_kicks_off_new_quee.php

“I honestly didn’t think it’d be this good,” said skateboarder and skatepark committee member D.J. Plummer.

The 17-year-old said he feels out of place in the middle of Hope College activities where the city’s existing skatepark, Lincoln Park, sits.

The skatepark there is part of a land swap agreement between the city and Hope College going through Circuit Court now.

Dan Drikasky watches as Dakato Rivera skates at the Lincoln Park skatepark in this August file photo.

The city intends to pay for the skatepark, in part, with $250,000 it would receive from Hope College in the property exchange that would give the college the tennis courts at 13th and College and property east of the municipal stadium in addition to Lincoln Park at Ninth and College. The city would also receive the northeast corner of 16th and Fairbanks in the deal.

The cast concrete features of the Smallenburg skatepark are likely to include a center plaza, steps, rails and others that mimic street characteristics.

It would cost upwards of $280,000 and have 8,300 square feet.

That equipment would cost $176,000 for the initial phase and an additional $196,000 to include all the add-ons.

“The lion’s share of the project is the skatepark equipment,” said Jim DeWilde of M.C. Smith Associates and Architectural Group Inc. “We know the budget. We know we have to design to that.”

Skateboarders are looking into raising money for the new park.

The city intends to open the new park about the same time Lincoln Park closes in late spring.

City staff would like to proceed with construction drawings so site work can begin as soon as the trade is official.

“There are a lot of skate parks going up that are a huge waste of money for lack of skater input,” said Rob Amerine, 23.

Amerine is an avid skateboarder and city recreation division employee.

Both Amerine and Plummer participated in the design of the Park Township skate park.

“A new site with new equipment encourages a whole different atmosphere, a more positive one,” Amerine said.

[ The Holland Sentinel ]

SOUTH RIDING, VA – Starting this weekend, skateboarders in eastern Loudoun will no longer have to drive elsewhere to get their fill of nosegrinds, frontslides and fakies.

This Saturday, Dec. 12, the first Loudoun County-owned skate park will open in South Riding.

Built for $150,000 over a 37-day period, the concrete park is 5,600 square feet of ramps, hills and rails situated next to the Dulles South Multipurpose Center. The only other public skate park within Loudoun’s borders is owned by the Town of Leesburg.

The Dulles South Multipurpose Center is home to a new skate park.

“Kids have been chomping at the bit for this,” said Claire Smith, spokeswoman for the Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.

The project with a joint venture between the county, which owns the land, and the South Riding Proprietary—the community’s homeowners association—which fronted the money to build the park.

“A lot of people in the county want things we just can’t afford right now,” Smith said, added that’s why “this has been such a great partnership.”

Jeff Salmon, a member of South Riding’s board of directors, said the association had sought financial help from surrounding communities to build the park, but was unsuccessful. So it decided to pay for the entire project itself.

“We feel by providing this additional resource that we are adding value for all the homeowners of South Riding,” Salmon said.

SITE Design Group Inc., of Solana Beach, Calif., designed the park, but not without the help of those who will be using it. According to Salmon, local skateboarders got to view the plans beforehand and submitted their input on how the park should be laid out.

He also said a skateboarding demo held at the site in July drew more than 100 people. “People are excited about this,” he said.

Besides skateboards, the park will also accommodate inline skates and non-motorized scooters. It has ramps, rails, stairs, stacked ledges, floating quarter pipes and a pump bump. The county will be responsible for the park’s maintenance, operation, oversight and administration.

Saturday’s opening will take place at 1 p.m.

The Dulles South Multipurpose Center is at 24950 Riding Center Drive. For more information, call 703-777-0343 or visit www.southriding.net.

[ Loudouni.com ]

SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, Skatepark Systems, the single resource for award-winning skatepark development, announced the launch of Skateparkology, a complimentary informational webinar series for community recreation planners who are looking to build a new skatepark or expand an existing park. The first webinar, which will provide a comprehensive overview of the skatepark development process, will be held on Wednesday, December 16 at 11 a.m. PST/ 2 p.m. EST.

Over the past six years, Skatepark Systems has developed a comprehensive set of educational presentations, which now serve as the basis for the webinar series, detailing the strategic and nuanced components of planning, designing, building and managing a skatepark. Previous seminars have been successfully hosted for several parks and recreation associations, the U.S. Air Force and chapters of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). The webinars will be held once per month over the course of one year.

“Creating a quality skatepark can be a challenging process even for those with experience. Skateparkology helps break down this process and provides community planners with expert insight to make their jobs easier,” said Beau Brown, director of skatepark development for Skatepark Systems. “We work to provide our clients with the best design-build resources and information available to take their park from conception to completion.”

In addition to discussing best practices and overcoming key challenges, the in-depth sessions will include:

–  Information supporting the need for skateparks

–  What a skatepark system is and why it matters

–  Essential planning and design insights

–  Project budgeting – city funding vs. user fees

–  Criteria to determine construction type

–  ASTM skatepark standards and how to apply them

–  Common skatepark problems and solutions

–  Successful skatepark projects case studies

As one of the inaugural webinar speakers and Skatepark Systems’ co-founder, Gregg Witt has 20 years’ experience in public skatepark development and the skateboarding industry. The presentation will also be led by Greg Miller, landscape architect from Morrow Reardon Wilkinson Miller Ltd.; American Society of Landscape Architects trustee, New Mexico chapter; and senior architect for the award-winning Albuquerque-Alamosa Skateboard Park Environment.

Skatepark Systems and its Skateparkology presentations are recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association and ASLA and qualify for many states’ continuing education credit programs.

Skatepark Systems is the single resource for award-winning skatepark development. Based in San Diego and overseeing projects worldwide, Skatepark Systems delivers skatepark solutions that meet community needs, are progressive in form and function, provide the best long-term value available and, most importantly, are fun. From intimate skatepark projects to large master planned systems, the company has completed over 750 designs and developments to date. Key services include consulting, public collaboration, design and build services and construction management. For more information, please call 619-795-7790 or visit http://www.skateparksystems.com.

[ Sun Herald ]

MARTINSBURG, WV – So what if their skatepark doesn’t have heat? Skateboarders and BMX riders around the region are simply grateful they now have one to call home.

The Berkeley County BMX/Skatepark was officially dedicated Tuesday night in its location, an old cold-storage warehouse that previously stored apples and other fruits. The facility is adjacent to the BP gas station/ROCS convenience store off of Kelly Island Road.

The idea for the park came about quite some time ago, but it had been consistently battled by the state because of liability insurance, said Steve Catlett, executive director of Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks and Recreation.

Catlett spoke Tuesday to a crowd of about 40 people, which included members of the Martinsburg City Council and Berkeley County Commission. He said state representatives eventually softened their stance, as they viewed skateparks comparable with other athletic venues in terms of injuries.

Funding and location also were issues for the park creation. Catlett said skaters had always been reprimanded for meandering around the city, but they never had an option for a place of their own.

“The problem was we never had a solution,” Catlett said.

Now, with a generous monetary contribution from the now-defunct Beth Jacob Synagogue & Jewish Community Center and the contribution of property from Roach Energy, which owns the facility, skaters and BMX riders can now flock to the skatepark, which features $50,000 of equipment, including quarter-pipes, bank ramps and roll-ins.

Catlett said there is also a second cold-storage unit behind a wall that currently contains a large amount of apples. Once the apples are removed, the unit could be viewed as an expansion of the park, which is currently a 6,100-square-foot facility.

“Where we are now is a great start, and to have this funding put into public recreation for people to enjoy themselves is great,” Catlett said.

Mark Peacemaker, a self-proclaimed “skatepark parent,” said he was absolutely thankful for the Parks and Recreation board, especially with Catlett at the helm.

“It’s remarkable how far they can stretch a dollar, and what they can do with such a small budget,” Peacemaker said. “It’s just a blessing to have it all come together.”

He also expressed gratitude to the Roach family for its contributions. Peacemaker said he wrote a letter for The Journal’s editorial page that stated the ideas that he and fellow members of the park’s citizen group had. His lone response came from Joan Roach of Roach Energy, who wanted to help make the park a reality.

Roach said she was more than happy to utilize the space for the park.

“It thrills me to see kids having a place to go and do positive things,” she said. “It’s just wonderful how respectful everyone is also.”

Martinsburg City Councilman Richard Yauger was in amazement while watching bikers and skaters nail tricks that appeared to defy the laws of physics.

“This is just a fantastic thing to be a part of,” Yauger said.

Catlett said he hopes the park will sustain itself through user fees, which can be found online at www.mbcparks-rec.org. The park’s hours and rules also are available at the site.

The doors will officially open at 5 p.m. today. Skaters under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian’s signature on the park’s liability waiver.

[ The Journal ]

The decision was a blow to local skateboarders, who have been without a park since August 2008, when the previous skatepark was closed to make room for Vista’s new downtown Civic Center.

A Vista teen skateboards behind a shopping center at Bobier and North Santa Fe drives in Vista. (Photo by Bill Wechter - Staff photographer)

“The old skatepark was very popular and very used —- now there’s no place for kids to go,” skateboard enthusiast John Blank told council members.

“Skateboarding is not a crime,” he added. “It’s an accepted alternative to team sports. We need to find the money, find the place and find the understanding to make this happen.”

However, neighbors of the proposed stormwater basin cheered the council’s decision. The previous skatepark was hidden by trees and plagued by vandalism, fights and after-hours use, and residents said those problems would have persisted in the new location.

“This site is going to be hidden, too,” said Alta Vista Drive resident Bruce Shift, who argued against the project. “I agree skaters need a place to go, but it needs to be in one of our public parks.”

Shift said he had gathered about 100 signatures over the weekend from area residents and business owners opposed to a skatepark in or near the proposed detention basin.

The basin is designed to shift the boundaries of the city’s 100-year flood plain and make the downtown corridor more appealing to investors. Combining the projects would have allowed the city to use redevelopment funds to build the skatepark, city staff said.

Now that the idea has been rejected, there’s no money in the general fund to build the park elsewhere, city officials said.

City Manager Rita Geldert said $500,000 that had previously been put aside for the project was used to balance the 2009-10 budget. The skatepark would probably cost between $750,000 and $1 million, she said.

Tuesday’s meeting was attended by a handful of people who live near the planned detention basin and about a dozen skateboarders.

Councilman Frank Lopez opposed building the skatepark in or near the proposed detention basin but said the council made a promise to build a new park when the old one was torn down.

“It’s a promise,” he said. “Now how do we put it in?”

Councilman Bob Campbell said there was “not a promise” made when the old park was torn down. The city said it would consider building a replacement, he said.

Campbell said the users of the old park created thousands of dollars in damage and were verbally abusive to nearby residents and people patrolling the skatepark.

“Unfortunately, there are kids that need (a park) and other kids who ruin it,” Councilwoman Judy Ritter said.

Miki Vuckovich, executive director of the Tony Hawk Foundation, a Vista nonprofit that advocates the creation of public skateparks, said Vista has about 5,000 skateboarders, and it’s in the city’s best interest to provide a place for them.

“There is a great need” in Vista, he said. “Essentially, without the skatepark, your city is the skatepark.”

Like Shift, most residents who spoke against the skatepark being placed in the detention basin were not against the idea of a skatepark elsewhere in the city.

“But the location is not in my backyard,” said Lindy Lane resident Tamara Sarracino.

City staff said they would continue to look into other potential sites for a skatepark in existing or future parks and would bring those ideas to the council when funding is available.

“I hope, because we decided not to continue in that location, that we don’t completely forget about this,” Lopez said.

Contact staff writer Cigi Ross at 760-901-4067.

[ North County Times ]

Often using their skateboards to rest their feet or elbows on, the youngest of the attendees listened for more than an hour as an American Ramp Company representative and a Strafford BMX biker discussed park options.

Strafford BMX biker Mitchell Vicat, far right, speaks at the Strafford Park Committee meeting Nov. 16 about the growing popularity of skateboards and BMX bikes.

Afterward, resident Alice Hale said it was the courtesy and interest of the youth at the meeting that caused her to reconsider her opposition to building a skatepark in Strafford.

“I came in here 95 percent against this,” Hale said after the hour-and-a-half discussion. “I am so impressed with these young people.”

Hale added that if adults were as enthusiastic about civic projects, more would be accomplished in communities.

“This is one of the reasons I love my job,” skatepark specialist Jason Stouder said of the large turnout for the meeting. Stouder, now in his 30s, said that when he was a teen in Springfield, he and his friends “always got run off” when they skated in town.

Construction options

Stouder showed slides of several skateparks American Ramp Company recently built across the country. He detailed five building materials commonly used – steel, concrete, plastic, pre-cast concrete and concrete sprayed onto forms – to create ramps for any non-motorized vehicles, including BMX bikes and roller blades.

Stouder said the park is actually a “ramp” park, rather than one only for skateboards.

The amount of money cities have spent to build parks varies greatly, Stouder said, comparing a $2.2 million, 40,000-square-foot park in Louisville, Ky., to a $30,000 park for 20 to 40 children.

“Usually, there needs to be a goal in mind first,” Stouder said, using $60,000 as an example. “From there, we give you a plan.”

Stouder said American Ramp Company works with municipalities on consultation, planning, design and construction. The company has thousands of designs on file. Equipment can be factory installed or by volunteer work.

Park funding

“What does it take to start a fundraiser?” a youngster asked.

“Can we go around with a coffee can?” Strafford youth Bradley Lee asked.

“Yes, it’s a start,” Stouder said, adding that businesses frequently contribute by buying one piece of equipment. The gift can be tax deductible and the equipment can include a sign with the sponsor’s name, he said.

“And the kids won’t be skating in their parking lot,” an adult in the audience said.

Stouder said the Tony Hawk Foundation grants money to cities when there is much community involvement. American Ramp Company matches grants from the Hawk foundation.

The state of Missouri also offers land-use and wildlife grants that could be tailored to skateparks, Stouder said.

Another resident asked what the typical time-frame is from the time a community begins a park plan until it is completed. Stouder responded that it could be done in less than a year or in more than two years.

Strafford City Administrator Tom Vicat asked if the city could build a park in stages, as it did with the splash pad in the city park.

Stouder said it could, in which case using pre-cast concrete ramps is best.

Growing sport

Responding to a question about noise at the park, Stouder said steel ramps are loudest, but could be coated with rubber. At about 60 to 100 feet away, the skatepark noise blends with other city noise, he said.

“The noise of the kids is louder than the park,” Stouder added.

Strafford BMX rider Mitchell Vicat, 20, on crutches following a recent bike accident at the Springfield skatepark, talked about how skateboarding has changed activity levels for many young people.

Mitchell Vicat initiated a city petition last month that circulated through town, asking the city to consider building a municipal skatepark.

“Kids that used to sit on the sidelines during basketball games now are out there on skateboards,” Mitchell Vicat, the city administrator’s grandson, said. “Kids who love to skateboard are just as much an athlete as those who play football.”

Mitchell Vicat said to keep kids off city and private property, cities should not charge fees at skateparks, and should make youth responsible for helping maintain the park.

The city of Springfield has had to install skate stops on downtown handrails to “keep kids from grinding them up because they don’t have $5 for the skatepark,” Mitchell Vicat said.

Committee President Linda Mauney said the committee agrees a skatepark would benefit the city, but anticipates “speed bumps” along the way, just as it faced building Howard Smith Park.

The committee will continue researching the proposal, she said.

[ Marshfield Mail ]

This led to the city council adopting the 2007 Parks and Recreation Master Plan which included the development of a “Community-scale Skatepark/Plaza.” Since that time the city council has had numerous discussions on where to site a new skate park and the pros and cons of the sites. The support of the council and community services department has been wonderful as we work to bring this project to a new beginning.

The Wilsonville Skate Park Association (WSPA) will be making a presentation at the Nov. 16 city council meeting to respond to some prior questions asked by the council and to ask the council to finalize the site selection process by year-end. Please show your support by attending the meeting or sending a letter to the council at 29799 S.W. Town Center Loop E, Wilsonville, 97070.

Currently there are three sites under consideration: Courtside Drive (just north and west of City Hall), Murase Park (between the driveway and parking lot), and Memorial Park (expand the current location). Each site has its own set of unique features. The “best” site will depend on which features are most important to you. All three are owned by the city.

At this time the WSPA is only asking the council to select a site. We are not asking for construction funds. Current economic times are difficult and expenditures must be reviewed carefully. However, finalizing a site will allow the WSPA and city staff to begin the process of fund raising, grant writing and preliminary park design for citizen review. Without a site location and basic designs in place, it is nearly impossible to secure grant funding. The goal is to start construction in 2011.

The Council is interested in experiences other cities have had with skateparks. The WSPA surveyed the cities of West Linn, Tualatin, Tigard, and Newberg and heard an overwhelmingly positive response.
Accordingly, WSPA believes a new, full size skatepark will be a good addition to the city’s park system; provide expanded physical activity options, increase park usage and be a great use of city owned land.
The WSPA is a local citizen group focused on working with the city and members of the Community to develop skateboarding as a healthy activity for our community.

[ Wilsonville Spokesman ]

Youngsters who regularly use the park, in Thurning Road, behind the community centre in Whittlesey Road, have successfully gained the sizeable sum through Peterborough City Council’s Young Peoples’ Service.

The breakthrough follows a raft of meetings in recent months with various organisations, including the council and police, who decided that the park was in desperate need of a transformation.

Lewis Ellington, Matt Woods, Sam Skinner and Jordan Rozario have won a cash boost for their skatepark.

They then presented their case to the Youth Bank in a Dragons’ Den style bid, who gave them £50,000. The rest was matched by the council themselves.

Youth worker Sue Schofield said: “They have all worked really hard. It’s their say so and their actions and they are putting everything in that they want.”

Group member Sam Skinner (16) added: “It’s taken a lot of work and we’ve been to lots of meetings, but it’s all been worth it and it’s paid off.”

Teens Matt Woods (16), Corey Perkins (14), Lewis Ellington (12), Rachel Harper (15) and Jordan Rozario (15) were also involved in the project.

It is hoped the re-development will begin in March with a grand opening in the summer.

[ Peterborough Today ]

Rieaston Meins lives just a stone’s throw away from the city’s former indoor park Y2SK8, in Fletton, which closed two years ago, and has been campaigning for a replacement.

But having recently found out a new indoor skatepark is not in Peterborough City Council’s current plans, the 21-year-old has decided to go it alone.

Rieaston, who regularly travels around the country to improve his talent, is now looking for business investment to lend a helping hand.

He said: “In Peterborough there was and still is a huge and ever-growing community of people who are interested in wheeled or extreme sports.

“I still fully believe an indoor skatepark for Peterborough is hugely needed and would be a successful and popular business.

“There are a few investors interested but obviously nothing is set in stone just yet, I am still interested to hear from any other interested investors.”

The council’s sports services manager Jon Marsden said although there was no money available for an indoor park at this time, the council has invested significant amounts of money in upgrading its outdoor parks, including the one in Bretton, which has had a major facelift.

He added: “We appreciate there is a demand for indoor skating facilities in Peterborough. But funding is not available at this time to provide that facility.

“As and when we are able to develop new indoor sports facilities in Peterborough we will try and incorporate indoor facilities for extreme sports including skating.”

Anyone who would like to help Rieaston fund a new indoor skatepark in Peterborough, should contact him by e-mail on peterborough-extreme@hotmail.co.uk

[ Peterborough Today ]