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Best Outdoor Skateparks: Livingston Skatepark In Scotland And Stockwell Skatepark In The UK
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Published: December 8, 2006
The hunt for the best outdoor skatepark would be an overwhelming journey spanning the breadth of the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. The early roots of skating in California have blossomed into a beautiful flower, with species found (or according to some, a terrible weed) well beyond North America, on every continent but one.
Skateparks have had an increasing presence in communities throughout the United States. From small municipalities in the Midwest to the expansive concrete constructs of coastal big cities, outdoor skateparks are at the cornerstone of the youth community.
Not at all a new innovation, outdoor skateparks have marked the urban landscaped as early as the 1970s. By the late 1970s, skateparks were already an international phenomenon. The UK is home to two of the world's best known skateparks, Stockwell Skatepark in Scotland and Livingston Skatepark. Dublin alone is home to nearly a dozen different skateparks
Early skateparks began as entrepreneurial ventures. Madison Avenue types attempting to "cash-in" on the newest trend of youth culture, the skateboard craze. Early attempts at "in-co-opting" skating were met with little success.
Despite the lack of success of most corporate-owned outdoor skateparks, the idea of skateparks had merit. Precursors of today's skateparks featuring mock urban jungle elements or obstacles, like bowls or pools, snake runs, open areas for freestyle skate, slalom areas and both half and full pipes inspired many of the elements used today. Outdoor skateparks feature any number of permutations of elements including flat rails, five stairs, funboxes, handrails, hubbas, ledges, manual pads, pyramids and three stairs. Like the skateparks of old, the elements mimic the obstacles of the city environment.
The skateboarding community, like more traditional political action groups, has turned to grassroots campaigns and political advocacy to requisition space for skateparks. Groups like SkatersForPublicSkateparks.org have united skaters and encouraged the use of the democratic process as a means to an end. At a time when skaters were on the business end of city and village oppression and the regular harassment by law enforcement, groups like Skaters for Public Skateparks turned the tide. Known simply as the "Skatepark Process," Skaters For Public Skateparks advocate a five-step method for lobbying for skateboard free from the persecution and prosecution at the hands of hostile local government.
In many cases, city councils, municipal administrators or park district boards have commissioned skateparks independent of the pressure of skater advocacy groups. Public outdoor skateparks are being built as a preemptive move against the unintentional (sometimes intentional) destruction caused by unruly skaters. In addition to curbing public and private property damage, skateparks are also seen as a refuge from injury from injuries suffered from the less than friendly uncontrolled nature of public streets. Outdoor skateparks also serve as a viable alternative to unsavory behavior such as gang membership and an alternative to television.
Outdoor skateparks are popular in skater Meccas, like New York and California, and states less stereotypical as skater habitats, like Texas and New Hampshire. In the United States alone, there are more than 300 indoor or outdoor skateparks. In fact, skateparks can be found in all of the 48 continental states and Alaska and Hawaii.
Sources:
Skatepark Process. 2006. Skaters For Public Skateparks. 8 Dec 2006. www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org.
Skateparks. 2006. Sk8M8.com 8 Dec 2006. www.sk8m8.com
Skateparks. 2006. Wikipedia. 8 Dec 2006. www.wikipedia.org
Skateparks have had an increasing presence in communities throughout the United States. From small municipalities in the Midwest to the expansive concrete constructs of coastal big cities, outdoor skateparks are at the cornerstone of the youth community.
Not at all a new innovation, outdoor skateparks have marked the urban landscaped as early as the 1970s. By the late 1970s, skateparks were already an international phenomenon. The UK is home to two of the world's best known skateparks, Stockwell Skatepark in Scotland and Livingston Skatepark. Dublin alone is home to nearly a dozen different skateparks
Early skateparks began as entrepreneurial ventures. Madison Avenue types attempting to "cash-in" on the newest trend of youth culture, the skateboard craze. Early attempts at "in-co-opting" skating were met with little success.
Despite the lack of success of most corporate-owned outdoor skateparks, the idea of skateparks had merit. Precursors of today's skateparks featuring mock urban jungle elements or obstacles, like bowls or pools, snake runs, open areas for freestyle skate, slalom areas and both half and full pipes inspired many of the elements used today. Outdoor skateparks feature any number of permutations of elements including flat rails, five stairs, funboxes, handrails, hubbas, ledges, manual pads, pyramids and three stairs. Like the skateparks of old, the elements mimic the obstacles of the city environment.
The skateboarding community, like more traditional political action groups, has turned to grassroots campaigns and political advocacy to requisition space for skateparks. Groups like SkatersForPublicSkateparks.org have united skaters and encouraged the use of the democratic process as a means to an end. At a time when skaters were on the business end of city and village oppression and the regular harassment by law enforcement, groups like Skaters for Public Skateparks turned the tide. Known simply as the "Skatepark Process," Skaters For Public Skateparks advocate a five-step method for lobbying for skateboard free from the persecution and prosecution at the hands of hostile local government.
In many cases, city councils, municipal administrators or park district boards have commissioned skateparks independent of the pressure of skater advocacy groups. Public outdoor skateparks are being built as a preemptive move against the unintentional (sometimes intentional) destruction caused by unruly skaters. In addition to curbing public and private property damage, skateparks are also seen as a refuge from injury from injuries suffered from the less than friendly uncontrolled nature of public streets. Outdoor skateparks also serve as a viable alternative to unsavory behavior such as gang membership and an alternative to television.
Outdoor skateparks are popular in skater Meccas, like New York and California, and states less stereotypical as skater habitats, like Texas and New Hampshire. In the United States alone, there are more than 300 indoor or outdoor skateparks. In fact, skateparks can be found in all of the 48 continental states and Alaska and Hawaii.
Sources:
Skatepark Process. 2006. Skaters For Public Skateparks. 8 Dec 2006. www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org.
Skateparks. 2006. Sk8M8.com 8 Dec 2006. www.sk8m8.com
Skateparks. 2006. Wikipedia. 8 Dec 2006. www.wikipedia.org
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