Skateboard Park FAQs

Q. Where will the skateboard park be located?
A. Old Memorial Park. The skateboard park will be located near the outdoor pool. 

Q. Has the skateboard park been approved?

A. Yes. In November 2012, the Northfield City Council approved the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) that the skateboard park be located in Riverside Park or, if that proved impracticable, in Old Memorial Park. Soil borings, indicating that expensive site remediations would be necessary in Riverside Park, prompted the PRAB in May 2013 to select Old Memorial Park as the site of the skateboard park. 

Q. What are the next steps?
A. A design has to be completed and approved, and then the City has to go through a bidding process for the construction of the skatepark. Once a contractor is selected, construction can be scheduled.  

Q. How large will the skateboard park be?

A. Approximately 4,000 square feet. For comparison, a standard high school basketball court is 4,700 square feet. 

Q. How much will it cost to design and build?

A. The current rough estimate is $163,000 for Phase I. The final cost will depend on the final scope of the design and the construction bids. The current estimate does not include the possibility on in-kind donations of materials and labor, the cost of labor, the standard contingency, or the additional cost of site preparation at the site west of the pool.

Q. How much has been raised so far?

A. About $80,000, including $20,000 from an HCI matching grant, $10,000 of which was raised by the Skateboard Coalition (2006); $60,000 allocated by the Northfield City Council (2013); and $1,000 from a Northfield Area Foundation/Grace Whittier Fund Grant (2013). 

Q. Who is the Skateboard Coalition's fiscal agent?

A. In February 2014, the board of the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) unanimously approved sponsoring the Skateboard Coalition as its fiscal agent. Since its founding in 1992, HCI has been fostering "a collaborative environment in Northfield that empowers youth, strengthens families, and builds community.”

Q. Who is designing the skateboard park?

A.  Pillar Design Studios, with input from the Northfield Skateboard Coalition, neighbors of Old Memorial Park, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Northfield City Engineering Department. 

Q. How close will the skateboard park be to the nearest residences?

A. 250-350 feet.

Q. How are noise concerns being addressed?

A. The park will be built using high-quality concrete construction which will minimize noise, as will landscaping elements (such as trees and berms) incorporated into the design. Concrete parks are much less noisy than older style wood or steel construction. A sound study conducted in Brattleboro, Vermont, in 2011 indicated that the sounds of skateboarding ("wheels on concrete") produced lower decibel ratings (about 54 dBA) than other park noises and ambient sounds such as traffic. A study conducted in Portland, Oregon, indicated that "beyond 200 feet, sounds were drowned out by other noises. Based on these readings, [researchers] found that skateboard sound levels are no louder than other park uses or other noises such as traffic passing by and airplanes overhead." You can find out more from a memorandum prepared for the City of Northfield by the former chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, or from this page.

Q. Will safety and behavior be problems?
A. A skateboard park will provide skateboarders with a safe place to practice their sport, and reduce skateboarding in inappropriate areas. Skateboarders are serious about their sport, and want a safe and attractive skateboard park. They also want to be a visible part of the community, to be respected and to earn the respect of neighbors. A skateboard park will make skateboarders visible and provide a sense of community. Skateboarders who have a designated place to skate are generally very good at "self-policing." Some concerns about safety, and about having skateboarders as neighbors, are addressed here


Q. What are the likely hours of operation?
A. The skatepark will be part of Old Memorial Park, and will follow the same regulations that apply to all city parks. There will be no additional lighting installed. Hours of use will be enforced just like in all other parks.

Q. Can I see the design?

A. Check out the design page.

Q. When will construction begin? When will the skatepark be ready for use?
A. Construction could begin as early as Spring 2015. For this to happen, we need your support.

Q. So how can I help?

A. You can make a donation in any amount toward the design and construction of the skateboard park. 

2 comments:

  1. When will the skateboard park be finished

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