|
PARKS & RECREATION
<br /> S
<br /> MB
<br /> Mesa res turn out to plan skate park
<br /> MI o n the heels of a recent growth spurt, u -r . _. •
<br /> — Mesa, Ariz., last year approved a half- , ,
<br /> "" cent quality -of -life tax initiative to make ' � ` i, ' '
<br /> so 1 improvements for its 380,000 residents. °' \. • 1
<br /> am Among the improvements were public safety F -'la+ ,
<br /> and transportation upgrades, as well as the s ` "
<br /> OA a
<br /> addition of a skate park ,
<br /> j.
<br /> Planning for the Reed Park Skate Court .e
<br /> has involved nearly the entire community, f +'' - 1 ' .:44 � f46m
<br /> frm city officials to the children who will be _ `'` /}� : -`' �
<br /> mom me
<br /> using the facility when it is completed in w
<br /> 2000. "From the beginning, we knew there
<br /> ■
<br /> was tremendous interest in our providing this 1
<br /> facility to the community, so it was important
<br /> a to us to involve the public in our planning t
<br /> E 1 process," says Joe Holmwood, Mesa Parks, Mesa skaters took part in planning meetings for the Reed Park Skate
<br /> Recreation and Cultural Division director. Court, which will be completed next year.
<br /> As the planning process got under way, a
<br /> ES variety of concerns surfaced. Officials worried about the "We expected the skaters would be confrontational
<br /> a
<br /> liability involved in having an extreme sports facility, about their wishes," says Planning and Development
<br /> a and they were concerned about the impact of a skate Administrator Bill Way. "But instead, we found them to
<br /> im. ? park on the neighborhood and on other park facilities. be understanding and up to date on the building issues,
<br /> lam
<br /> EMI To address those concerns, Mesa hired a local consult- and we were surprised that they kept liability in mind."
<br /> a ing firm, The Widforss Group, to assist in researching For example, skaters requested that the architects
<br /> N liability and to serve as a mediator in all public meetings. change some features that were too challenging to ensure
<br /> moo At the same time, the city established a 23- member a safe environment. Skate shop owner Scott Matteson
<br /> am
<br /> planning committee, composed of architects, designers, was surprised by the participants. "There were a lot of
<br /> parents, business owners, skaters and concerned resi- kids, end -users of the park, who showed up and had their
<br /> dents. It also included representatives from the city's opinions. I expected them to want half pipes — the big -
<br /> Engineering Division, and police, risk management and ger, more dangerous features — but they made their rea-
<br /> parks departments. sons clear [for their choices]," he says.
<br /> The committee held three public meetings to obtain On Dec. 21, 1998, the Mesa City Council approved
<br /> input from residents on the skate park. More than 250 the plan for the Reed Park Skate Court. The facility,
<br /> people attended the meetings; 114 people attended the which will be open to skateboarders and inline skaters
<br /> first meeting to show support for the skate park and to free of charge, will be built at a former lake site at an
<br /> share design ideas. existing community park.
<br /> Liability concerns decreased after the planning team The facility will have three bowls of varying levels of
<br /> iE contacted several companies that insured skate parks. difficulty, including a skate area for small children. It
<br /> Y The planners discovered that fewer than 3 percent of the also will include grass, shaded areas and water fountains.
<br /> insured skate parks had incurred claims following injuries The Reed Park Skate Facility Steering Committee,
<br /> - ES sustained at the park. including many of the original planning committee
<br /> arm With the liability and support issues addressed, the members, will oversee construction of the skate park and
<br /> MINN 1 planning committee proceeded with the skate park, hir- develop operations and maintenance guidelines. The
<br /> m� � ing David Evans and Associates, a national architectural committee will stay in place after the facility opens to
<br /> mow ' firm headquartered in Portland, Ore., as a consultant. provide input on rules, events, management, discipline
<br /> moo Alan Fishman Associates, Laguna Beach, Calif., signed policies, supervision expectations, concessions, instruc-
<br /> mom on as designer. tional opportunities, accident /emergency procedures and
<br /> mom
<br /> mow The architects got a number of ideas for the skate park safety education. The Mesa Parks, Recreation and Cul-
<br /> from the committee representatives and from attendees tural Division will operate the facility and act as lead
<br /> of the public meetings. Skater Marty Murawski and his liaison on all issues.
<br /> two brothers were among the youths who attended the
<br /> first public meeting. "We wanted to be involved," This article was written by Deborah Kuzik, community
<br /> Murawski says. "We wanted to see it built right for relations assistant for the Mesa Parks, Recreation and Cul-
<br /> skaters." tural Division.
<br /> I
<br /> 1
<br /> AMERICAN CEI Y & COUNTY October 1999 69
<br />
|