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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Local skater Jasin Synegal, 21, practices his street skills on a sunny afternoon in De Anza Park. Sunnyvale skaters are in favor of a city plan to construct a state park.
A new place to shred
City considers constructing a municipal skate park
By Sam Scott
Larry Wolfe, Santa Clara's parks and recreation director, says his city's new skate park represents one of the most popular investments his department has ever made. Since opening in September, skateboarders and rollerbladers have crowded to the smooth cement course of bowls, ledges, and stairs.
"Without exaggeration, inch for inch, it's the most popular thing in the city," Wolfe says.
Fueled by a recent state law limiting cities' liability, by the increasing popularity of skating on television, and by a civic push to improve youth activities, California cities have been building skate parks in record numbers. Santa Cruz, Modesto, Gilroy, Pleasanton, Campbell, Mountain View and Santa Clara are among the local cities that recently have constructed parks.
On March 20, Sunnyvale began exploring the feasibility of joining the club by building a skate park. A teen survey conducted by the city last spring found strong interest in a skate park, says Robert Walker, the director of Sunnyvale Parks and Recreation. A mix of some 70 skaters, parents, and concerned citizens attended a meeting at the Sunnyvale Community Center to offer input on what Sunnyvale's skaters are looking for. By May, the study by the Beals Group, a San Jose-based consulting firm, will help identify what skaters want, where the park might best be located, what concerns neighbors might have, and how feasible building a park would be.
A report detailing the findings will go to the City council in August. If council members approve the park, construction could be completed within a year and a half, according to Beals Group spokesman Derek McKee.
While teens supporting the project dominated the Monday meeting supporters who probably will never use it also were in attendance: Parents who say they want a supervised place for kids to skate and business owners want skaters to have options other than parking lots.
Jennifer Day owns a shop near a parking lot popular with skaters. She says she's concerned about accidents involving skaters and her customers and supports a park that will provide a skaters an alternative.
The efforts of city officials, parents, and businesses in trying to find options for skateboarding marks an evolution for a sport often dismissed as a hobby or branded as vandalism. Chris Clarke, a Sunnyvale skater who works at the Sessions Skateboard shop near Fremont High, says he's seen skating change from a fringe activity to one embraced by the mainstream
"It's a lot more accepted now," he says. Events like the X-Games, a prominent event that last year invaded San Francisco, have made skateboarding into prime-time viewing, he says. The longevity of the activity also has softened attitudes, he says.
"It's much more likely now that people skateboarded or grew up around skateboards," Clarke says
Walker agrees a shift in attitude has occurred. He says adult involvement in snowboarding and rollerblading has blurred the lines between skaters and the mainstream community. Adults who have never been on a skateboard, but like to snowboard, may feel a connection and understanding with skateboarders based on a perceived similarity between snowboarding and skateboarding. Likewise, recreational inline skaters riding in the park may feel a kinship with their more daring cousins jumping down stairs.
In 1997, a state law termed activities like skateboarding and rollerblading as high risk. Skaters are, therefore, taking an understood risk and are not as able to sue. Walker says this also has contributed to the sport becoming more accepted and is making cities more amenable to constructing skate parks.
Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Jeremy Housekeeper, 12, practices his skating skills at DeAnza park. Local skaters last week offered Suunyvale officials their suggestions and recommendations for a proposed skate facility. Surrounding communities already have constucted municipal skate parks.
The possible cost of a skate park will not be known until questions of location, material, and size are settled, officials say.
Though Sunnyvale lacks a dedicated ground for skating, it does seem to get high marks on its relationship with skaters. At the meeting, skaters said police in other cities cite skaters skating on public grounds. In Sunnyvale, things are more relaxed, they say.
August. If councilmembers approve the park, construction could be completed within a year and a half, according to Beals Group spokesman Derek McKee.
While teens supporting the project dominated the Monday meeting, supporters who probably will never use it also were in attendance: parents who say they want a supervised place for kids to skate and business owners who want skaters to have options other than parking lots.
Jennifer Day owns a shop near a parking lot popular with skaters. She says she's concerned about accidents involving skaters and her customers and supports a park that will provide skaters an alternative.
The efforts of city officials, parents and businesses in trying to find options for skateboarding mark an evolution for a sport often dismissed as a hobby or branded as vandalism. Chris Clarke, a Sunnyvale skater who works at the Sessions Skateboard shop near Fremont High, says he's seen skating change from a fringe activity to one embraced by the mainstream
"It's a lot more accepted now," he says. Events like the X-Games, a prominent event that last year invaded San Francisco, have made skateboarding into prime-time viewing, he says. The longevity of the activity also has softened attitudes, he says.
Walker agrees a shift in attitude has occurred. He says adult involvement in snowboarding and rollerblading has blurred the lines between skaters and the mainstream community. Adults who have never been on a skateboard, but like to snowboard, may feel a connection and understanding with skateboarders based on a perceived similarity between snowboarding and skateboarding. Likewise, recreational inline skaters riding in the park may feel a kinship with their more daring cousins jumping down stairs.
In 1997, a state law termed activities like skateboarding and rollerblading as high risk. Skaters are, therefore, taking an understood risk and are not as able to sue. Walker says this also has contributed to the sport's becoming more accepted and is making cities more amenable to constructing skate parks.
The possible cost of a skate park will not be known until questions of location, material and size are settled, officials say.
Though Sunnyvale lacks a dedicated ground for skating, it does seem to get high marks on its relationship with skaters. At the meeting, skaters said police in other cities cite skaters skating on public grounds. In Sunnyvale, things are more relaxed, they say.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
