CITY CENTER SKATEPARK MYTHS
Myth: Federal funds of $400,000 are available for constructing the skate park.
Reality: There have been no federal funds allocated to the skatepark. The only public funding that has yet been set aside is $292,000 through the Eugene Capital Improvement Plan which was approved by the Eugene City Council. Click here for more background. The remaining $250,000 needed to build the skatepark will come from the private sector.
Myth: Building the skatepark will force the city of Eugene to spend more money to provide extra parking, public safety, public sanitation and crime prevention.
Reality: The park location is already managed by the Eugene Parks Department through a long-term lease with the Oregon Department of Transportation. No extra parking will be required as ample on street parking already exists. The relatively central location is already amply covered by our police patrol, and will not require any extended coverage, as would be the case with construction along the urban growth boundaries. It’s convenience to bike and bus routes makes it safer and easier for people to travel to and from the park. Skateparks require very little maintenance.
Myth: Building a skate park will result in more skateboarders using the area which will therefore result in more incidences of anti-social behavior resulting in greater degradation of the neighborhood.
Reality: Skateboarders are a fiercely independent clan born of alternative ideas and attitudes but to think that having more skateboarders will result in degrading the neighborhood is uninformed unfounded hyperbole. If we want to improve the areas in our community where undesirable activity is common, then we need to move into those spots with developments such as skateparks that put concerned, involved individuals right into the mix to change it for the better.
Myth: A new skatepark in the park will drive businesses away from the neighborhood.
Reality: Just the opposite. Any parks space that supports vibrant positive uses improves the neighborhood and in turn makes properties more desirable. Rejecting a better future for the Washington-Jefferson Park is the one thing that will certainly doom the surrounding neighborhood and spurn businesses.
Myth: This project will pave over open space.
Reality: The site is under a bridge and is currently sand and concrete so open space will not be lost. Click here to view pictures of the site.
Myth: The skatepark cannot be built in an environmentally friendly manner.
Reality: The skatepark will indeed be built following sustainable design principles. Care will be taken to remove non-native vegetation, minimize construction waste, improve stormwater management, use recycled materials where possible, replant native vegetation, and hopefully use a waste product (fly ash) to replace significant quantities of cement powder in the concrete mix needed for the project.
9 SKATEBOARDING MYTHS
Skateboarders are a vital part of our community. Please take a moment to learn more about ways skateboarding my not be what you think.
1. SKATEBOARDING IS ONLY FOR KIDS
Skateboarding is extremely popular with kids, but not all skateboarders are young. Skateboarding’s greatest heroes, like Rodney Mullen and Tony Hawk are well into their 30′s. It is one of the few sports where the young and the old can share experiences and participate as equals.
2. SKATERS ARE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
Skateboarding is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. and has surpassed baseball and football as the healthy activity of choice. There are about 13 million skateboarders in the U.S. with a 10% annual increase in participation during the previous 3 years. Skateboarding is here to stay.
3. SKATEPARKS ARE NOISY
Skateparks are not loud. A properly constructed concrete skatepark generates about as much sound as a conversation between two people. Wooden parks are slightly louder, but still much less than normal automobile traffic.
4. SKATEPARKS ATTRACT DELINQUINTS
Any public park can attract unsavory elements, but skateparks often deter disruptive behavior and vagrancy because skaters populate the park. Parks that are remote and secluded are generally the ones that get abused. Without a skatepark in the community, skaters are forced into the streets.
5. SKATEPARKS ARE MESSY
Like any athletic activity, skateboarding will generate refuse. In skateparks that benefit from strong community support such as Burnside (Portland, OR) or Ballard (Seattle, WA) most litter removal is done by the skaters themselves. Professional skateparks allow the skating community to take pride in their facility.
6. SKATEPARKS ARE EXPENSIVE
A world class concrete skatepark averages about $30-40/sq.ft. and even at full capacity all day, all year, a properly built park won’t show signs of overuse. Compared to the relatively limited use of a tennis court or baseball field, its an efficient and popular use of public park funding. Long term maintenance expense for a concrete skatepark is minimal. Garbage and general inspection requires only about a half-hour a day, and can easily be offset by volunteer programs, concession sales, or vending machines.
7. SKATEPARKS ARE PLAYGROUNDS
Skateparks are sophisticated structures that require particular attention to detail. In order to be safe and efficient, skateparks need to be designed and built by experienced, knowledgable contractors. Skateboarding is a high-energy, athletic activity and requires surfaces smoother than your average sidewalk, proper alignments, and safe traffic control. An experienced skatepark designer should be able to address these needs directly. Skateboarders themselves can usually offer testimony to the most respected skatepark designers. Great skateparks are the ones that get used and maintained by skaters.
8. CONCRETE SKATEPARKS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WOODEN OBSTACLES
The immediate cost of a concrete park is generally 20% more than wooden or steel skate obstacles. However, the maintenace and inspection costs of skateable obstacles (loosening of structures, wear and deterioration, etc.) make concrete the long-term preferred choice of city planners and skateboarders.
9. SKATEPARKS ARE DANGEROUS
Among the most popular sports, skateboarding is relatively safe. Safety studies show that skateboarding related injuries fall well below other sports related injuries. As with any athleic activity, nobody should skate beyond their ability.
