PROPOSAL FOR SKATEPARKS UNDER BRIDGES

BACKGROUND

Skateboarding is a high-energy activity that builds both physical and mental strength, as it requires an individual to be self-reliant while sharing space with other individuals.

Part of what makes skateboarding a positive activity is that it allows people to focus on their personal abilities and skills. As a sport, skateboarding has no prescribed rules, no governing body, and no restrictions that require a team effort. Kids who are not served by team sports are attracted to skateboarding because it doesn’t require them to join a team and compete until a winner and a loser are declared. It is an activity in which there are no losers, only winners. Anyone can simply grab a board and skate anytime to improve his or her skills.

Skateboarding has other positive attributes, as older skaters can attest. It builds confidence, and often it’s this confidence in oneself that allows one to make the right choices in life. It also teaches kids that they can do things they never thought possible. For parents and kids alike, skating also provides opportunities for learning and acting as positive role models. One only has to look at champion skater Tony Hawk to see how skateboarding has become a way for him to connect with his kids.

It is well known that social problems occur in cities when adequate facilities and challenging activities for young people are not available. Skateboarding offers one solution, but skateboarding cannot occur in the rain, or when it’s excessively hot, or in the dark winter months. Ultimately, a well-designed and well-built skatepark is necessary to provide a challenging and safe environment for young skaters. Older skaters would also use and enjoy such a park, and this mix of age groups would give younger skaters the opportunity to learn and grow, not only as skaters but also as people.

PROPOSAL

This proposal puts forth a plan for building skateparks in underutilized spaces under bridges and overpasses in Seattle. Skateparks can take organic, asymmetrical forms; they need not be bound in squares like other sports fields. This key feature allows for more efficient use of space that otherwise may be rendered useless (such as land under bridges or freeways).

Using land under a bridge has two main advantages compared to other skatepark locations. First, it largely eliminates the “N.I.M.B.Y.” (Not In My Back Yard) problem, which happens when local residents do not want loud or disruptive activities near their houses. Because these areas already accommodate a freeway or a noisy bridge, skatepark-generated noise is no longer an issue. Second, skateparks discourage illegal activities that often occur under bridges of this sort. A good example is the area under the Burnside Bridge in Portland. This location was home to all kinds of criminal activity (drug deals, prostitution, abandoned cars, and so on) before Mark Scott and other skaters started building a skatepark there in 1990. The skaters cleaned up the area and kept the criminals out, to the point that the surrounding businesses took notice and volunteered their time and money toward expanding the skatepark. Even the local police chief donated money towards the effort. (This information was taken from a personal interview with Joanne Ferrero, who is owner and operator of Ferrero Equity Inc., a company right next to the Burnside Skatepark.)

In addition to these advantages for cities, using land under bridges and overpasses also provides an advantage for skaters. The bridge provides protection from rain in the winter and excessive heat in the summer. With the addition of lights, the skatepark can be used after dark as well.

OBJECTIVES

PROJECT DETAILS

Suggested Locations

Clientele

Two different groups would be likely to use skateparks in the suggested locations. The first and most important group is made up of young people who live nearby and who frequently skate in the area already. The second group is made up of skaters of all ages who live in various parts of the city and who would travel to this park (either by car or bus) because it is usable even in the rain, unlike most other outdoor skate parks.

Both clientele groups are essential components of this project, and it is expected that both would make significant use of the skatepark. Skateboarding is currently one of the fastest growing sports, and facilities such as these are used more heavily than basketball courts or baseball fields in similar locations.

Methods

The primary methods for achieving these objectives:

Potential Objections and Responses

Skateparks under bridges are hidden, allowing for illegal activities. As the Burnside skatepark has proven, skateparks under bridges actually discourage crime in these areas. Skateboarders concentrate on their skateboarding, not on illegal activities. Lights, restrooms, picnic tables, a play area for toddlers, and vending machines will attract parents of the kids who are skateboarding. In Newberg, Oregon, this adult-friendly approach has been very successful at promoting self-policing of the skatepark.

Seismic safety. Traffic safety engineers design such bridges specifically to withstand the weight and stress of consistent car travel. If the bridge is safe for auto travel, one can reasonably assume it is safe for skateboarders beneath the bridge.

The land is not the property of the city. Currently there is a skatepark under I-90 in Spokane, Washington, which sets a precedent that Seattle can follow.

A park that attracts people from surrounding cities doesn’t serve Seattle. In fact, it does. A good example is the skate bowl in Ballard Commons Park. Skaters come from all around to skate there, and the surrounding businesses, such as the QFC and Texaco, benefit — as does the city. The bottom line is that skaters spend money when they travel, and if they travel to Seattle, they will spend money in Seattle.

Lights are expensive. Darkness arrives early during Seattle’s winter, just after the school day ends. This causes skaters to look for lighted places to skate, such as the streets or parking garages, both of which are illegal. It’s far better to have the kids in one place like a skatepark, where their parents and the authorities can keep track of them. If lights can be used at a tennis court, then they can be used in the same way for a skatepark. Lights need not stay on all night. They can shut off automatically at a designated time or have a coin-operated switch to turn them on (to help offset the cost).

Needed Resources

Additional Possibilities for Sites in Seattle

Dan Hughes

NorthwestSkater.com

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