Tony Hawk Foundation - FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

GENERAL QUESTIONS...

Why are skateparks beneficial to communities?

Do you have any information on the economic impact of skateparks in communities?

Do you have information on the physical and psychological benefits that skateparks provide children, or other ways communities benefit from having a skatepark?

How do I create a non-profit organization?

I'm interested in building my own ramps. Where can I find solid ramp designs?

Are kids at skateparks exposed to drug use and other negative influences like foul language?

Should bikes be allowed in skateboard parks?

Should new skaters be required to take a skatepark safety class?

Should the number of skaters in a park be limited?

How old should a skater be before he or she skates unsupervised?

We have a skatepark and want to organize a local amateur contest. Do you have any information on setting one up or judging criteria?

I want to start a skateboarding league of a variety of teams for our little community (similar to any other sports team, baseball etc.). We have a skateboard park already; I was just hoping you could give me some guidelines as to how to put the league together?

Does the Tony Hawk Foundation sponsor skaters? If not, can you tell me how to go about getting sponsored?

Other than the Tony Hawk Foundation, what other sources of funding should I pursue?

I appreciate what the Tony Hawk Foundation does, and am interested in applying for a position with the foundation. Do you have any positions available?

QUESTIONS ON THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A SKATEPARK...

It seems like our city leaders and most adults hate skateboarders. We're trying to get a park built here, but where do we start?

How do we decide where to build our skatepark? Many proposed sites are being fought by residents who live near them.

Our community once had a skatepark that we are now trying to re-establish it, but the ramps are in poor condition. We've been working on this for two years. The original park was dismantled after neighbors complained about the noise. Our city already has the equipment, so it's just a matter of finding a location for the park. How can I generate community-wide support for re-establishing this park?

We have a limited budget for our skatepark and already have a smooth concrete pad dedicated as a location. It seems logical that we should buy modular equipment (ramps) instead of building a concrete park. Which is better?

We're having trouble getting insurance for our skatepark. Do you have any suggestions?

We raised $125,000 and built a concrete skate park in Massachusetts, which opened in the spring of 2000. This was a very controversial undertaking in the community. The park was placed on the grounds of the public Middle School. As part of the management plan and probably the deciding factor for the city's approval, the park was required to have skate guards (monitors). We are very aware of the mixed feeling that the skateboarding community has regarding skate guards and the dilemmas that can arise with having them. In point, the skatepark will now be losing its skate guards because the city's funding for the guards will be cut. The bottom line that we foresee, based on the management plan of the park, is that if there are no guards then the park will not be open. I am wondering if you could give us some advice and possible financial avenues we could explore.

We hired a professional skatepark designer who worked with the local skaters and created a park design that we're ready to build. Since the plan is good, does it matter if the builder we hire has made skateparks before?

We need to write the rules and regulations to be posted at our new skatepark. Are there standard rules to include and do you have any suggestions or a guideline to go by?

QUESTIONS REGARDING GRANT APPLICATIONS...

Do you provide grants outside the United States and, if not, do you have any referrals for advice or funding?

I am currently working on a project (book, film, research, etc.) that ultimately supports skateboarding. Would the Tony Hawk Foundation consider funding it? Can I apply for a grant?

Do you give grants only to communities building concrete parks?

Can I apply if we already have a small or rundown park?

Our municipality is insisting that the skatepark cannot be built unless we impose an admission fee. Can we qualify for a grant even if we plan to charge kids to skate?

May we apply for a grant to finance such amenities as bleachers, lights and bathrooms?

May I submit pictures and/or elaborate in my application or do I have to stick to the lines provided and keep it two pages?

What is your view on the use of safety equipment? As a grant recipient, can the use of safety equipment be enforced at the skatepark?

What determines low-income?

What do you mean by "at-risk" youth?

When will I be contacted regarding the status of my grant application?

Can we reapply if our initial application was rejected, or if we received a small grant in the past?

Can Tony come to our grand opening?

Why are skateparks beneficial to communities?

The easy answer is that they provide a place for kids who aren't attracted to traditional team sports a place to go and express themselves in an individual and athletic manner. Getting kids, particularly at-risk kids, involved in a personal and esteem-building activity like skateboarding helps them build the confidence to do well in other aspects of their lives. Tony knows this because that's what skateboarding did for him. That's why he started the Tony Hawk Foundation--to help today's kids by helping their communities build quality public skateparks.

The 13-million skateboarders in America only have about 2,000 skateparks nationwide. That means the vast majority of them are skating in the streets. Skateparks, even the more challenging ones, are far safer than kids rolling through busy streets. And when parks are built right--with local skater input and involvement throughout the process--those youngsters develop a sense of ownership and pride. The very existence of the park is the result of their hard work. They worked with civic and local business leaders, with each other on design elements, and with the community to find a suitable location. These previously disenfranchised skaters, who once ran from the police, find themselves working with the police and city and community as a whole. It's a transformational process for these young people.

It might be useful to survey kids in your area. Ask them if they currently use the athletic fields and ball courts your city offers, and if they'd like to have a skatepark as well. You'll be surprised to find out how many kids who aren't interested in traditional sports would jump at the chance to skate a good park, or have the opportunity to learn to.

Some of the information on this Web site, like the "How To Get A Skatepark In Your Home Town" guide, may answer a lot of other questions for you.

Do you have any information on the economic impact of skateparks in communities?

We do not have any specific studies on the economic impact of skateparks on communities. But from the feedback we receive from municipal skatepark managers, skateparks do seem to have a positive effect on businesses in the surrounding area. When a skatepark opens, it tends to draw folks from the outlying communities to come bring their kids to the skatepark, do some shopping, maybe have lunch, buy some gas, etc. The further away the nearest skatepark is, the further people travel to visit the new park. Skateparks attract patrons to local businesses that might not otherwise be in the area.

Do you have information on the physical and psychological benefits that skateparks provide children, or other ways communities benefit from having a skatepark?

Skateparks offer families in the immediate area a local recreational opportunity for their children. Offering recreational activities to young children helps them develop healthy, active lifestyles, and the growing popularity of skateboarding is encouraging more and more people to go outside and roll (currently over 12-million people enjoy skateboarding in the U.S.). Providing a skatepark for youth also helps them feel that the community is addressing their needs. It helps them to feel more connected and encourages good citizenship.

Our own observations and the information we receive from municipal skatepark managers suggest that the physical and psychological benefits of a skatepark are many. Being a physically active sport, skateboarding encourages children to spend time outdoors and to engage in an activity that tests their endurance, sharpens their senses, and develops their creativity. Skateboarding requires no coaches and suggests no standardized approach to riding a skatepark. Skaters are free to ride in their own way, to their own abilities, and encouraged to pursue their own style of skating.

In the communities with no skatepark, where skateboarding is banned on city streets, skaters are frustrated from being targeted by police. They are discouraged rather than encouraged to pursue their otherwise healthy pastime. Many skaters aren't interested in more traditional team sports. So when they are discouraged from skateboarding, they're unlikely to take up an "approved" sport, and are more at risk to exposure to drugs, idle hobbies that promote obesity, and other unhealthy lifestyles.

Building a public skatepark and including the skaters in all aspects of the process (organization, fundraising, and design) draws them into the civic process, and cements their personal ties to the community.

Because of their choice of fashion and the prevailing stereotypes, skaters are often pegged as outcasts and delinquents, even though their choice of activities and style of dress really have nothing to do with their personalities, GPA, or habits. Bringing these individuals into the process of planning and building a public skatepark also exposes adults and civic leaders to the people behind the T-shirts and torn jeans. As much as the skaters learn about their local government, local leaders are typically the ones who learn the most.

Skateparks provide a place for skaters to go and practice the sport they love with friends. It gives them the opportunity to improve, to achieve small victories on a daily basis, to grow more confident in themselves and their own abilities, and allows them to dream of possibly becoming a "Tony Hawk" someday. Including skaters in the process of planning and building a public skatepark also teaches them that some things take time, and that patience and persistence often pays off.

Some specific benefits to communities can be read in the Success Stories section of this Web site. In most of the cases, an adult member of the community steps up to help the skaters get a skatepark. Together they build community awareness and lobby the City for a skatepark. The next thing you know a Skatepark Committee is formed, consisting of City Council members, possibly a police officer or Mayor, a local business owner, parents, and the skaters. Together they work toward their goal of a public skatepark�often for a couple years. The skaters feel like part of the community for the first time in their lives, and their efforts in fundraising and lobbying impress all the adults involved.

Impressions of each other change, and a new respect is built. Once the skatepark is in place and the skaters have a personal investment in it, they tend to police the park themselves with few issues, and often turn the community skeptics into supporters.

Even in communities where support for a public skatepark already exists, and where funds are available for it, skaters tend to develop an appreciation and respect for their town and its leaders. They take the gift of a skatepark as a gesture that the community values their interests, and that they are encouraged to pursue their passion in a setting built just for the purpose.

It's quite a different environment to grow up in, compared to cities where no skatepark is available and police pursue skateboarders on the street like criminals.

How do I create a non-profit organization?

Creating your own non-profit organization is a very standard process. Visit Nonprofits.org for some useful information: http://www.nonprofits.org/npofaq/keywords/1l.html

I'm interested in building my own ramps. Where can I find solid ramp designs?

Skateboarddirectory.com lists a number of sources for skate-ramp plans. A few are also listed below:
http://skateboarddirectory.com/dir/Sports/Skateboarding/Ramps/Ramp_Plans/

Ramptech offers ramp plans for all types, from street elements to mini ramps to full vert ramps; http://www.ramptech.com

Heckler magazine has posted some good plans as well, and they're free: http://www.heckler.com/ramps/index.php

Whitefish Skate Ramp Company provides life-size ramp plans with traceable templates for towns that want to build their own skatepark. They also provide traceable template plans for backyard halfpipes and small driveway street ramps. Ramp-surface pricing is also available.
http://www.skate-ramps.com/

Thrasher Magazine provides photos, diagrams, and an outline for building a halfpipe ramp for vertical skating: http://www.thrashermagazine.com/index.php?SCREEN=ramp

Are kids at skateparks exposed to drug use and other negative influences like foul language?

The misconception that skateparks somehow contribute to juvenile delinquency is one we're researching. Unfortunately we don't have any hard data at this time. We're working on some studies right now, but it may be some time before we have anything definitive to share on the social effects of skateparks on communities.

My general observations are that skaters need to be focused and alert, particularly in a skatepark setting, to maintain their balance and to perform the maneuvers they do. Skateboarding, by its very nature, is an anti-drug. So it's safe to say that a skatepark full of kids is a skatepark full of kids not getting stoned.

Tony Hawk and I first met at a skatepark. We were 14 years old, and many of the other skaters there were in their late teens, some in their twenties. They all took us under their wing, showing us new maneuvers in the pool, as well as just befriending a couple skinny young kids. These guys were from age groups that, at our high school, wouldn't give us the time of day. But at the skatepark we were all skaters. It was our home away from home, and the locals were our extended family.

It was in this atmosphere that Tony developed his talent and healthy level-headed approach to his life and career. Of course his family and his own natural talents had a lot to do with his success, but the skatepark was where he focused and developed his abilities.

It was this positive skatepark experience that inspired him to launch the Tony Hawk Foundation. With the Foundation, Tony, the staff, and the Board of Directors are helping communities develop the same positive environments he and I had when we were young skaters. A skatepark is a place where skaters get together and enjoy the space, the camaraderie, and the physical thrill of riding. An outdoor, open, highly visible location - as most skateparks are - is not the place to bully kids, use drugs, or be a nuisance. Skaters are there for a reason, and in my experience they're very good at policing each other about behavior that interferes with their enjoying the park.

I know of one skatepark where the skaters have had trouble with non-skating drug users and delinquents showing up there. In that case, the city made the mistake of placing the park up on a bluff, behind a row of trees, and away from the street. It's a secluded spot that the delinquents used before the park was built, so the park simply gave them something to watch while they did their business. It's an unfortunate situation, but it's one that the skaters suffer from, rather than created themselves.

A well-built skatepark that reflects the needs of the local skaters is a hive of creative, physical activity, a place where kids and adults who enjoy skateboarding come together and are focused on their sport. It's an inherently positive institution, and that's why Tony, myself, the THF staff, and our Board of Directors do what we can to help communities realize the skatepark of their dreams. We know firsthand what benefits a community and the individual skaters enjoy as a result of having one.
Miki Vuckovich
Executive Director, THF

Should bikes be allowed in skateboard parks?

Skateboarders and freestyle-BMX riders have much more in common than they do differences. The effort to promote a skatepark in a community that has never built one often meets political resistance from elected officials who are understandably reluctant to spend public funds on a new facility. Skateboarding is a new activity for them, and a skatepark is a facility they didn't realize is necessary. Approaching elected officials as a coalition of skateboarders and freestyle-BMX riders indicates that the facility will accommodate a range of users, and isn't just a product of skaters' self-interest. A new skatepark should always be presented as a community asset, and promoting it as a mixed-use facility is the most effective way to achieve that.

While promoting mixed use is important, THF recognizes that mixed use may not conform to some state and municipal laws that limit state, county, or municipal exposure to liability. We encourage elected officials to seek legal remedies to these limitations and to seek compromises to accommodate mixed use of their skateparks.

We also recognize some very real concerns from skateboarders who are reluctant to use a skatepark while freestyle-BMX riders are in the park. The handlebars, pegs, and other projections on a bicycle can cause serious injuries, and the ability of bikes to make sudden sharp turns only increases the likelihood that a skater, who has more limited turning abilities, may run into them. If a skatepark cannot be safely used by both BMXers and skateboarders, their sessions should be staggered so that only one group uses the park at any one time.

Concerns of potential damage to the skatepark from bike use can be mitigated through design, construction techniques, and materials. Some prominent skatepark builders will not warranty their skateparks against damage caused by bikes, but seeking the cooperation of freestyle-BMX users to remove pegs or use soft pegs or peg caps can limit potential damage.

Inclusion of freestyle-BMX riders or other user groups is always most successful when those groups are involved on the skatepark steering committees throughout the process. Skateparks often require years of persistent advocacy, and the individuals responsible for those efforts will naturally feel more entitled to the skatepark than members of potential user groups that were not involved in the effort. Accommodating additional user groups is always possible after the skatepark is completed, but the process is much less complicated when skateboarders and the additional user groups have a history of working together and sharing the burden of advocating for the skatepark.

Should new skaters be required to take a skatepark safety class?

Safety classes can be valuable for young skaters not familiar with the general layout and flow of traffic at a skatepark. Small children often stand on an element in the middle of a street course that a number of people are waiting to ride. The kids don't understand that they're impeding the use of the park, and would benefit from having someone explain where one should and shouldn't stand, and what to look out for before dropping in. Most parks don't require such a class, but it could be valuable for new or young skaters.

Should the number of skaters in a park be limited?

In the interest of safe skateboarding, a limited number of skaters at a park can reduce the likelihood of collisions. While limiting the numbers of skaters also allows those in the park to skate more freely and have a good time, THF does not encourage communities to supervise their parks. Skaters are generally good at policing themselves and deciding if a park is too crowded to skate, and we feel that a skatepark should be as free and open as any other sports or recreational facility a community offers, like ball fields and courts. Supervising skateparks also creates an ongoing financial burden for tax payers, or for the skaters if the city then charges admission to the park to pay for the supervision.

How old should a skater be before he or she skates unsupervised?

Ultimately, it's the parents' responsibility to supervise their children. If the children are young enough or the parents want to be sure their kids are skating safely, they should be with them at the park. The issue of supervising skaters is a parenting question more than a skatepark policy issue.

We have a skatepark and want to organize a local amateur contest. Do you have any information on setting one up or judging criteria?

Skateboarding contests can be fun and instrumental in bringing a community of skaters together. Often, skaters will travel hundreds of miles to attend and compete in a contest if the event shows promise of a good time or god exposure for talented skaters hoping to find a sponsor.

In most contests, skaters ride through the park or course individually while a panel of judges (5 - 7 experienced skaters) rates each competitor's routine (45 seconds to one minute). Scores are based on skill displayed, consistency (not falling of the board), style (general aesthetic appeal of the skating), and use of course (the more sections used the better). Scores are based on a 0 - 100 scale, much like a school test (70 is mediocre, 80 is good, 90 is great, and 91 - 99 is virtually flawless). You almost never see 100. We don't require THF grant recipients to adhere to any particular rules regarding pads, we encourage them to allow skaters maximum freedom and flexibility within the limitations of established local laws.

Judges each have a roster of skaters with two spaces next to their names. The skaters each take two runs, and one score is entered after each run. The best score counts, and the other score is used to break a tie. Depending on the number of skaters, you can run through the entire roster twice, or break it up into groups of ten or so skaters. For contests with a lot of entrants, the latter is better so they don't wait too long between runs. But you don't want them to have to skate too soon after their first run, either.

There are usually a couple rounds in each contest. After skaters each take their two runs, they're ranked, and the top half of the list advances to the next round. If you have 32 skaters in a contest, each take two runs, then the bottom 16 are dropped, and the top 16 go on to the next round. They skate their two runs again, and the top 8 advance. At that point, you have to decide if you want to break it down any more, or just go with an 8-skater final round - they take their two runs, and they're ranked 1 - 8.

In that system, the top 8 skaters will have taken 6 judged runs, which is a good number. More and they're too tired (they're practicing in between runs). And you don't want the event to go all day. So decide how far to break it down once you have all the entrants. It's possible to go from 100 skaters down to 32, and then 16, etc. That's a big jump, but otherwise you'll be there all night. And the judges will be pretty exhausted, too.

That's the standard way. For amateur contests, you could set required maneuvers or sections of the park that skaters must pass through. But generally skaters are free to do whatever they like on the course in the allotted time.

It might be worth your while to contact a couple of contest organizations to ask about their judging criteria:

United Skateboarding Association (amateur contest group): http://www.unitedskate.com
World Cup Skateboarding (pro contest group): http://www.wcsk8.com

I want to start a skateboarding league of a variety of teams for our little community (similar to any other sports team, baseball etc.). We have a skateboard park already; I was just hoping you could give me some guidelines as to how to put the league together?

You might try contacting existing amateur skateboarding competition organizations. While "team" is a term loosely used in skateboarding to describe skaters who share a sponsor and consider each other teammates, they still compete against each other in contests. To start a league or contest organization, we would recommend contacting these organizations to learn more about how they operate:

United Skateboarding Association (USA):
http://www.unitedskate.com

California Amateur Skateboard League:
http://www.caslusf.com/

The Next Cup:
http://www.thenextcup.com/index.html

Does the Tony Hawk Foundation sponsor skaters? If not, can you tell me how to go about getting sponsored?
No, the Foundation does not have a skate team or sponsor skaters. A good place to start is your local skate shop, see if you can get a sponsorship through them. Also, check out the following Web sites for more information on getting sponsored:

http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p1770.htm
http://www.skateboard.com/frontside/101/Rookies/sponsored.asp

Other than the Tony Hawk Foundation, what other sources of funding should I pursue?

Diversifying your appeal for donations is one of the primary ways to get a little from a lot of sources. Seek out as many potential donors and fundraising opportunities as possible. Here are some ideas, though they are by no means the only avenues to pursue.

The skateboard industry isn't a good source for cash donations, but skateboard companies may be willing to send items for raffles and fundraising events. As you might imagine, skate companies get many requests for help from local skatepark projects, and as much as they would like to help, they have limited resources. Prepare a letter that describes your park project, your successes to date, and maybe include the diagram when writing to skate companies. Like us, they like to see and support groups who are working hard and have a strong probability of achieving their goal. Look up companies and their addresses at the Skateboard Directory Web site: http://www.skateboarddirectory.com. Maybe one of the skaters on your committee can do that legwork.
In California and other parts of the country, the state sets aside P&R funds every year that are granted to qualifying cities. It requires finding out what funds are available, and for what specific types of projects, but a call to your local state representatives' offices should be a good place to start. A big issue across the country right now is child obesity. Many states have launched programs to promote healthy lifestyles and offer grants to community projects that address it.
It might be worth your while to hire a professional grant writer to help customize your story to fit the conditions of a specific grant. Professional grant writers often have expertise in identifying other potential sources of funds, including corporations and private foundations (like THF). It may seem extravagant or expensive to hire such a person, but often they only make a percentage of what they earn you.
The alternative is to seek out corporate and private grant opportunities yourself. A call to most major corporations can help you identify the person there in charge of corporate giving. Often large companies set aside charitable dollars earmarked for youth causes. Find out who handles those funds and what their requirements are, and write your proposal to address the specific points they look for in a funding opportunity.
If you've been awarded grants from any source, use those awards as press opportunities. Often local papers are willing to run an article on your success, whether it's $5,000 from the Tony Hawk Foundation or the large company whose corporate headquarters is located in your town. Exposure in the local press often reveals other potential donors - local companies and philanthropists who learned about your project through a newspaper article.
There really are no limits to where you can find sources of funding. If your project includes baseball or soccer fields (or facilities for some other sport), there are funding sources that focus on those sports, too. Companies like Nike and Converse, or sports organizations like the US Soccer Federation may have money earmarked for the non-skate aspect of your project. It takes more time and effort, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I appreciate what the Tony Hawk Foundation does, and am interested in applying for a position with the foundation. Do you have any positions available?

We do not have any open positions at this time. The Tony Hawk Foundation is a small organization whose mission is to raise funds and award grants. With that as our focus, we do not anticipate adding to staff in the near future. When positions do become available, they will be posted on the Web site. We do not accept unsolicited resumes.

It seems like our city leaders and most adults hate skateboarders. We're trying to get a park built here, but where do we start?

Leadership and law enforcement often have misconceptions about skateboarding that not only make pursuing their sport of choice difficult for skaters, but it actually underscores the need for skateparks.

Your city council sees these kids in a negative light. The only way to change their minds is to show them that these kids can be articulate, organized, and motivated. The very process of petitioning and appealing to your city council can do this - it'll force them to listen to these kids in a formal council meeting, and address the issue of why the skaters have no place to ride.

This requires motivation and work on the part of the skaters and adults like yourself who care about them, and in towns where the political climate is against skaters, it's certainly not easy. But any successful public skatepark has to have broadbased community support, and if that support doesn't exist, someone needs to rally residents to get behind it. That'll change the political climate, that'll make fundraising possible, and that's the first step to actually breaking ground on your park. Change people's minds.

Our step-by-step guide to getting a skatepark (How To Get A Skatepark Built In Your Hometown) is available on our Web site and will give you some ideas on where to start. Yes, the city council will not make the process easy, and yes they'll throw up smokescreens like the claim that their insurance will go up (it shouldn't, assuming they have baseball fields and basketball courts in town), and you'll have to jump through a few of their hoops to make and prove your point. But the fact is that skateparks are a growing phenomenon, and a reality that's springing up all around you. Look up some parks in neighboring areas. Click here to go to TransWorld SKATEboarding's U.S. skatepark list.

You can call the Parks And Recreation departments in those cities to ask for the skatepark program administrator. Those individuals have likely faced similar adversity, but have persevered. Their experience may prove invaluable to you as you move through the process.

Don't let the dismissive attitude of your city council dissuade you from helping the skaters. The council answers to you and other voters, and that's why it's so easy to harass and persecute skaters--they don't vote and thus far the only voters council and the police have likely heard from are the ones calling them to complain about the skaters. More adults need to address the council and speak in support of the skaters and their need for a park. And the skaters should speak, and make their case, and they should also be involved in the whole long drawn-out political process, because it will change them and it will change the attitudes of the council members who hear them articulate their needs and ideas for resolving this daily conflict between skaters and the law.

You'll be surprised how quickly things begin to change once you build some momentum.

How do we decide where to build our skatepark? Many proposed sites are being fought by residents who live near them.

Your question about skatepark site location is one that every community grapples with, and it's impossible for anyone but the residents of a city to determine the best place for their park. But here are a few guidelines to consider when determining where to locate your skatepark:

Most skaters don't drive, so a skatepark should be in a central location that's easily accessible by public transportation (major bus and trolley lines). It should also have a curbside area near the entrance for parents to drop off and pick up their children.
Skateparks should be located near the street, not tucked away in the back of a larger park area. Hidden locations attract elements other than skateboarders, and can lead to problems the skaters don't create, but may be blamed for.
Existing public park areas are ideal locations to add a skatepark. Existing parking facilities, restrooms, and in some cases lighting can save money and allow funds set aside for the skatepark to be used for the actual skatepark, and not amenities. Skateparks can easily replace underutilized grass areas or ball fields. Many basketball or tennis courts can also be repurposed for skateboarding, particularly if a modular (ramp) skatepark design is to be used. Most cities already provide multiple facilities for traditional ball sports, so if undeveloped locations aren't available, repurposing is often the best solution.
Sometimes community groups, like the Rotary Club, have property they are willing to donate for community facilities like skateparks. If an appropriate city property is unavailable, approaching local community groups and community-minded business organizations is often the best alternative.

If your city is having trouble finding an appropriate site for your skatepark, approaching private organizations for site donations or repurposing is probably your best course of action. With the number of skateboarders surpassing many traditional youth sports, reallocating city property dedicated to youth activities may be the most sensible solution.

Many people associate skateboarding with gangs and crime, when the opposite is generally the truth. They also decry the noise associated with it. A concrete skatepark or even a well-built ramp park should be no louder than most athletic activities. But the unfortunate reality is that these perceptions exist, and those individuals who voice them have a right to speak out. And once the park goes in, it's always better to not have neighbors who oppose it, complain, and resent the kids who use it. Invite resistant residents to your meetings to meet the kids who will be skating at the park. If they're impressed, perhaps they'll decide the need for the park is greater than their concern for noise.

Our community once had a skatepark that we are now trying to re-establish it, but the ramps are in poor condition. We've been working on this for two years. The original park was dismantled after neighbors complained about the noise. Our city already has the equipment, so it's just a matter of finding a location for the park. How can I generate community-wide support for re-establishing this park?

Our staff members have been to many City Council meetings over the years in towns all over California, and in every case there are at least a handful of NIMBYS (Not In My Backyard) who protest the skatepark out of pure self interest and general ignorance about skateboarding.

Many people associate skateboarding with gangs and crime, when the opposite is generally the truth. They also decry the noise associated with it. A concrete skatepark or even a well-built ramp park should be no louder than most athletic activities. But the unfortunate reality is that these perceptions exist, and those individuals who voice them have a right to speak out. And once the park goes in, it's always better to not have neighbors who oppose it, complain, and resent the kids who use it.

The best solution to situations like this that we've seen is to re-purpose an existing, but under-utilized, recreation space. A great argument to present to taxpayers and to a frugal City Council is that a space already exists, and there will be minimal if any construction costs.

If you already have the ramps, then you know roughly how much space you'll need. Will a tennis court or basketball court suffice? Are there any of those in central locations in town that few people use? If the city were to put its skatepark there, are there other tennis or basketball courts nearby?

Existing recreation areas like that are either located in areas where some noise is tolerated, or at least there is a precedent of fairly noisy athletic activity there. In the case of tennis courts, the surface is usually smoother and more appropriate for skateboarding than asphalt basketball courts, and they're often fenced, which helps if you need to close the skatepark at night.

If you can identify a few under-utilized existing spaces for the park, and offer an estimate to build a new concrete pad for the skatepark, chances are the Council will lean toward re-purposing an existing court. Or fencing off a section of an existing parking lot.

Be creative and offer some alternatives. If you can present an inexpensive way to utilize expensive equipment the city's already paid for, chances are that your argument will weigh heavier than a few protesters interested in their own rather than the public's good.