How to get a skatepark in your town or city

Getting a skateboard park built in your local area is no easy task and is not just as simple as asking your local council for one – It will usually take months / years for it to all go through.

This guide should help you to take the right direction to getting a park built in your town

• First form community group – Make sure you include skateboarders (and scooter users and BMX’s – anyone who will use the park), parents, youth workers and the local skate-shop. It’s a good way to show councils, residents and press that you are properly organised and committed to your cause.
• Create an online platform such as a Facebook page, Instagram page or website, showing what you want to achieve and make sure you get as many followers or people involved as possible.
• Convince people why there needs to be a skatepark built. You will need to create a presentation of why it’s needed: Focus on keeping people active, the growth of adrenaline sports, the need for facility as there no others around (or only old facilities) etc. You may want to show some examples of what type of skatepark you are wanting to achieve and propose some potential sites where the skatepark could be located, along with associated costs
• Do some fund-raising. This will show that you are committed to progressing the development of the project. This can be done a variety of ways, but think about holding a skate comp, get the local skate-shop involved, sponsored skaters and bikers, invite the press and councillors. The more publicity you can get, the more support you will find.
• If you haven’t already you will need to start speaking to the council too and start looking for funding (see below). It is also a good time to start talking to skatepark builders (see info below) – They will have a wealth of knowledge to help you progress the project and can start providing you with designs and budgets.
• Read the story of the process a group went through to get a Skatepark in Alton