Field Report #1 Truro

This is a new type of post that I hope will help us and those involved with the new skatepark to work out what does and what doesn't work by looking at other parks and their strengths and weaknesses.

Skatepark: Truro "plaza"
Location: Truro, Cornwall.
Construction: Concrete.

The first thing I feel needs to be said is a lack of transition does not make a skatepark a plaza. I say lack of transition, there is a fair sized mini ramp although it certainly looks like it's addition was an afterthought. In general the build quality of the park seems very good but this precast ramp has a inch or so gap between each section which an be slightly unsettling when attempting slides on it's incredibly slippery coping.

There are some interesting obstacles, stair sets of different sizes, a couple of pier 7s and a bank not quite steep enough to do call a wallride but not mellow enough to be enjoyable to do fliptricks on. I did notice a complete lack of rails both sloped and flat.

There is a good variety of obstacles but the layout is abysmal. I wasn't expecting to be able to hit every obstacle one after the other, in fact that type of lines orientated park can often lead to only one person being able to skate a park at a time, whilst having the park so obstacles can be sessioned independently allows more people to have more runs.

A curved ledge marks the frontier of the park on one side, this looked like it could be fun but it had been designated the mum and dad bench the Saturday afternoon I was there. This curved ledge blocks the run up to one of the pier 7s, after landing any trick on the wedge block you then need to drop down about 5 kerb high drops which of you've landed sketchily may well be your down fall.

There was a big issue with lines and some of the obstacles such as the rainbow block, curved hubba and the 25' hubba seemed to be a bit out of reach for everyone at the park, although I think inliners may have had more luck. Like many other parks a lack of landscaping of the surrounding grass left dust and stones to be a hazard.

There is a lot we can learn from this park, there are many things I would certainly like to see in our park, CCTV, a free water fountain, and an area set aside just for flatland, although the dip for drainage in the middle of this area soon made itself known to me. I think the greatest lesson to be learned is that all the build quality and good obstacle design in the world can't make up for a lack flow.

Good Points:

Nice surface not too rough not too slippery,
CCTV,
Water fountain,
Flatland,
Actual stairs.

Bad Points:

Lay out,
Too many little single or two steps,
Precast mini with gaps.

Ready to Roll

The repair works have now been completed and the refurbished skatepark was opened yesterday. The lips at the bottom of the ramps have been rectified and the bottoms of the flatbanks have had transition added to make them a little more forgiving. Odd other repairs and a new lick of paint have the park looking lovely. The new high-low rail has not been installed but the other flatbar has been moved to the other end of the park in preparation for its arrival. We now have somewhere skateable to tide us while we campaign for a full replacement. Thanks to all involved!

Ch,ch,ch changes...

Luke, Nic and Phil were at the park today to discuss some changes to the layout. The funbox is being rotated so the banks are on the inside, this is easier to trick off and allows it to be skated as an up block and down block. The rail on the funbox will be lowered a couple inches which will hopefully lead to all sorts of new shenanigans. The flat bar is being moved to opposite end of the park, almost mirroring where it once was. In its new location it will also be a couple inches (no more) lower. A few feet from where the flatbar used to be a 2.5 meter long kinked single bar hi-low rail will be installed. Luke assures me all the hips have been unaffected. Fabricators have started on the transition at the bottom of the flatbanks so it shouldn't be too long before the new facelifted park is revealed.

Boooo! Rubbish!

I got wind of this from Mike and Macy on sunday and Phil confirmed it today; at some point over the week the park was broken into and used. The finish on the epoxy on the halfpipe now needs to be redone. In addition to this there were bottles smashed across the park further holding up progress. It was not just one group as luke caught some younger skaters entering the park but larger footprints have also been found.

Please spread the word that the park is closed for a good reason, every time something like this happens it sets the project back as work has to be redone.

Watch the progress unfold!

Phil has been very hard working and been visiting the skatepark each day to keep builders on track and to document the progress, these photos can be found here:

Gallery

Spring jam and the start of the refurb.

The spring jam absolutely went off this weekend, with the highlight being the modelling balloon fuelled mini jam. This picture pretty much sums it up.

All in all the day really showed the local scene is thriving and that there is the demand for a quality skate facility in Chelmsford. Enough people came down early that sweeping out under the ramps and filling the many rubbish sacks with litter felt like it didn't take much time at all. Prizes were given out by: Duffs, Three Amigos, Demon Extreme, DX Park in Colchester, Wheelscape and the ever generous Daz Coles. For a more thorough write up, see Phil's essex rollers post. For more pictures, scroll to the bottom of this post.

The jam was the last chance to use the park before repair work started. This work has already begun in earnest. A high fence has been erected around the park. This is not just to stop people riding the park before work is completed but, to stop the sand that is being blasted at high speed from blinding passers by. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT POKE YOUR HEAD OVER THE FENCES OR MAKE HOLES IN THE FOIL BETWEEN PANELS. We are willing to give an arm and a leg for this park, but we don't want anyone to lose their eyesight. The park will be closed for the next few weeks. There is no set re-opening day as it is not yet known exactly how much work must be done.

I'm sure you have all taken the time to fill out the petition, but if not please do, and send a link to few local people you think would support the cause. It sounds like the numbers are mounting up and it would be great to be able to show a massive amount of support when looking for funding.

Albums From the Jam:

Dan Slieker's

Phil McEwan's

Stephen Robinson's

Ben Wills'

Matt Green's 

More to come from Halliday and Stratton.

Central repairs

Phil met with Andy Eaves today who is organising the repair work to take place soon, below is a link where Phil describes all the developments.

http://essexrollers.blogspot.com/2010/03/chelmsford-central-skate-park-repair.html

Although our aim is to replace not repair the park, that goal is a long way off at the moment, so at least we will have something safer and more stable until then. The park will be closed for a couple weeks, so you will all have to go out and hit the streets while sandblasting, riveting and painting take place. I just hope they realise not to paint the coping and rails like they did last time!

Phil mentions litter in the area, which we hope you will all chip in and help sort out as a gesture of goodwill.

Hopefully the park will be in great shape for our Spring Jam, which due to regulations is not an event, and we will not be playing music or selling food, although someone may bring along their ghettoblaster, who knows, we are just a group of people meeting up to do an activity at a designated area for such activities.

Council Meeting

Below are Phil McEwan's notes from the first meeting with the council. It looks like there is some progress, some support and some obstacles, but over all it seems that the council are willing to work with us, thanks to Phil for this, check out posts by Phil and others at http://essexrollers.blogspot.com/


I know this is long one but it pays to be thorough,

So we had our first meeting with Chelmsford County Council last night, thanks mainly to Mr Stephen Robinson for setting the meeting up. First I will add the notes from the meeting and then highlight the key points. Understand though this may taste bitter sweet but there is definitely a chance for us to do something great for Chelmsford.

Meeting re Skateboard ramps, Central Park

18th March 2009, 6.00 pm Christy Room

Present: Stephen Robinson; Luke Pearce; Phil McEwan-Bell; Darren Coles; Glenn Parkington; Paul Van Damme

Meeting Notes

1. Background: Paul Van Damme outlined development influences that were likely to impact upon Central Park (ARU campus & ECCC ground), but emphasised that the Council considered the skateboard ramps were an important recreational facility for the community and that there were no plans to remove them. It was acknowledged that the existing ramps were in need of attention and refurbishment works were in hand. This is an interim measure to facilitate longer term planning and potential replacement with improved skateboard facilities. Other considerations were the views of the Environment Agency for works affecting a flood plain, and a need for planning permission for anything other than a like-for-like replacement. Skateboarding reps emphasised that whilst refurbishment was reassuring, the existing ramps must be replaced, ideally along lines of a concrete construction such as Harlow or Saffron Walden - handouts were circulated as examples of good facilities elsewhere.

Action: Parks Service to review construction of concrete ramps provided elsewhere, as examples of best practice.

2. CHP offer to facilitate setting up a formal representative group: Stephen Robinson referred to an offer from Malin Blom to help set up an organising group. Paul Van Damme indicated the Council would speak to Malin Blom about this and how it might best work.

Action: Parks Service to arrange discussion with Malin Blom

3. Initial refurbishment works: Skateboarding reps asked if they could see recommendations/attend when contractor starts to point out problems that might be missed. Paul Van Damme stated this would be useful input and would see what could be arranged, as order had been placed.

Action: Parks Service to check proposed start date and inform skateboard reps accordingly. Arrange site meeting with Andy Eaves (supervising officer for works) to enable reps to input their knowledge on defects/remedial.

4. Gt. Baddow ramp: Skateboarding reps referred to an offer from Ongar Town Council to dismantle and deliver a sectional concrete ramp to Baddow as a replacement for that which had been destroyed by arson a few years ago.

Action: Parks Service to contact Parish Council to ascertain their position on the offer referred to them

5. Planning permission: There were as yet no definitive proposals from the ARU campus developer in respect of the sub-way widening required by both the Highway Authority (ECC) and the borough council. Given that this was the main factor directly affecting the immediate location of the skateboarding facility, clarification on likely impact to Central Park was needed.


Action: (a) Parks Service to discuss with planners/ECC likely engineering
requirements to facilitate future planning of any revisions to skateboard area.
(b) Skateboarding reps to let Parks Service have any useful information concerning planning obstacles/difficulties encountered elsewhere and subsequently overcome, in order to aid discussions with Planners for any future planning application concerning a new facility.

6. Future Meeting: date/location TBC following discussions with Malin Blom


So to break this down section by section -

1. Background

Whatever happens our could happen all depends on the building sites surrounding Central Park, two of which being a major factor, the old University Campus and a residential development by the Cricket Ground.
Unfortunately what this means is no development will be able to happen on the Skatepark site until these development projects are finalised. Although things don’t look great for this at the moment due to the economic climate etc but this does not mean all hope is lost.

What follows is CCC’s Plan that is already in place to improve Central Park and the surrounding area, their vision “A dynamic, destination city park for all-age recreation for the 21st century.” their words.


As you can see Chelmsford County Council are not adverse to improvement and have taking everything we said and presented them with onboard.
Basically the entire development of Central Park includes the improvement and most importantly the inclusion of the Skatepark.





2. CHP offer to facilitate setting up a formal representative group:

What this means is we will soon be put in contact with a similar group in the area who are campaigning for a BMX/Mountain Bike dirt track in Chelmsford. This could prove helpful as we all have a common interest and ambition. You will know more when we do.

3. Initial refurbishment works

This is great news and will at least put a few minds at ease. The council will not be removing
the ramps,
But will be starting cosmetic work to make what we have now safer and that bit much cleaner,

I gather that from next Monday some preliminary replacement/repair riveting will be done, then sand blasting is to be arranged (date tbc) to both clean away debris and rust and reveal any hidden problems, prior to relining/surfacing work with an epoxy resin coating.

We will be meeting with the company on Wednesday 24th to consult on what is being done and what other issues need to be addressed.

Basically the Council are willing to at least put some money in immediately to repair our Skatepark not just to hand us off but giving us a safer environment until the developments take shape and things become set in stone. We have to wait until building on these sites first in order to know for certain what space etc we are dealing with. This is a positive step as it gives us the time to start a full fund raising initiative.



In answer to peoples questions about simply moving the site the problem lies mainly in the ownership of the land and where the Skatepark fits into this. Unfortunately to the side or under the viaduct will never be an option but ideally we are in the best place already. What we get is a claim on the spot we’re currently on due to Council legislation that prevents the council from removing the facility if not without replacing it.

4. Gt. Baddow ramp

Probably not going to be a viable option but the Council will keep us informed on what is happening with the Ramp. We will let you know when we do.
5. Summary

Until an approved development for the old campus site, which includes the widening of
the subway, is solidified the Skatepark will not change but this meeting presented CCC with a
lot to think about. All of the issues raised by the Skatepark Campaign group up to and including the Parks Services and Essex County Council actually considering and looking into the development and improvement of the Skatepark, most notably what our County Town needs, a concrete Skatepark with a Bowl.

As well as the Council looking into the planning and engineering of a 21st Century Skatepark, the group will be providing the council with a lot of material and references in order to get the seeds planted.

We have been assured that the Group will be kept up to date with anything relevant to the Skatepark from here on in, which is great news for us all,

The foot is firmly in the door, now is our time, we have a lot of work to do.

Phil McEwan-Bell


Thanks again to Phil, any comments, sound off below.


Aj

Academic Support!

I saw a link to this on the crossfire blog. Its some research done by the journal of adolescent research into the behaviour of young people in skateparks, and goes some way to backing up our claims with real academic evidence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2010/02/100205_skate_boarders.shtml

If anyone else finds anything useful, post it on the facebook page and i'll share it here.

P.s. Dont forget to sign the petition!

Jam, April 11th.

From the mouth of mister Coles himself:

Hi all, after the success of the last jam (despite the weather) it only seems smart to do another one only bigger, the date will be the Sunday the 11th of April, this will give us a lot more time to organise and prepare.

Currently required are: Photographers, Video recorders, DJ's, Somebody who would like to do a reasonably priced BBQ, prizes* and anything else you can think of that might help.

I will shortly be making an event for you all to attend/not attend and you can all put your ideas for what to do up on the wall or if you can lend us some of your time to help....

Thanks Chelmsford Skatepark


* Prizes will hopefully be bigger and better than before

Come on down and lend your support on the 11th of april, if you can help in anyway stick a message on the facebook event, which already seems to have a fair few people excited.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=314044369463