Questions by Lawerence W. Synett answered by our
Committee Chair Paulina Jimenez!
Why build a skate park for skateboarding?
Villa Park supports its youth. The skatepark helps meet the need for after-school activities for teen-age at-risk youth. It also helps eliminate skateboard and in-line skate conflicts with local businesses and pedestrians.
Why go to all this trouble for a passing fad?
Skateboarding has been popular in the United States for more than 40 years. According to the National Sporting Goods Association there were 11.6 million skaters nationally in 2000 and the numbers are steadily growing. The majority of skaters are between the ages of 7 and 18 and are primarily males, although females are showing an increasing interest as cities are creating skating facilities where they feel safe. Advances in equipment and facilities have opened the sport to all ages and abilities, while reducing the number and severity of injuries. Some advancements include the use of urethane wheels that allow for speed and maneuverability.
How dangerous is skateboarding?
According to Consumer Products Safety Commission, skateboarding has a smaller percentage of reported injuries per participant (.49%) than soccer (.93%), baseball (2.25%) and basketball (1.49%). Many skateboarding injuries are simply not reported, speaking well of skateboarders who feel that safety and their injuries are their own responsibility.
What are Illinois State Laws regarding skateboard liability?
Illinois states that a person cannot sue for doing a recreational activity on public or private property unless there is a charge for doing such activity. Our skatepark will be free.
Aren’t you just asking for trouble with fighting and drugs?
The experience in other communities is that skate parks are not usually associated with fighting or drugs. Skating is the usual activity. Skaters practice and show their skills to each other. They teach and support each other and self-regulate behavior, taking turns using favorite features. Skaters cannot have their coordination and judgment altered by drugs or alcohol and still be able to do “tricks”.
Where will the park be located?
Within Iowa Community Center grounds.
Who is designing and building the skatepark?
The company that we presently considering to assist us on this project is Grindline. They specialize on concrete skatepark design and construction and are committed to designing and building environmentally friendly skateparks. Grindline was founded in 1990, and has designed and built over 100 skateparks to date, from Orcas Island in Washington State to the island of Okinawa in Japan and they have a clear understanding of concrete and its complexities as well as all other phases of skatepark construction. They have experience in creating more efficient, progressive designs and green construction and are willing to work with our community volunteers.
How much will it cost?
$250,000
How long will it take to build once you get the money?
It is estimated that construction will take 4 months.
What maintenance will be needed?
Since the skatepark will be constructed of concrete it will need very little maintenance for about twenty years. The main maintenance needs will be trash around the park and possibly graffiti removal. Rural towns surveyed had very little trouble with these two issues but city parks have somewhat of a problem with graffiti.
How do you figure that a skatepark can be a tourist attraction, boosting Villa Park’s economy?
Skateboarding families just like families who have kids that play football take their kids to skate at parks in other towns. Skateboarding families also get on the WEB every time they go on a trip to grandma’s or wherever and check out what skate parks they can skate on the way. These skatepark sites tell how big the park is, what features they have and how to get there. Some sites give opinions on whether the park is worth the stop, if Villa Park Skatepark rates well, we will have many skaters come to check it out and therefore many families eating at restaurants and staying in our motels. The kids come from all over the United States and Canada.
