Ballito Skate Park Revamp Proposal

Transcription

1 Ballito Skate Park Revamp Proposal Ballito is growing at a rapid pace and there is a lack of recreational public use facilities available for the youth to enjoy. The existing Ballito Skate Park is in a poor state and has become a white elephant because of its improper design and lack of maintenance. This is a great shame as this skate park holds a significant position in the history of Ballito s young people. The reason for the submission of this proposal is due to a growing demand for the upgrade/refurbishment of this facility for all members of the community to use and enjoy.

2 The current skate park is derelict. The current skate park is poorly designed making it unsafe and difficult to use. All other park facilities are unusable. eg: swings, benches, jungle-gym. The park is unsafe and overgrown. The park is home to vagrants and drug users. There are no parks in the area for the youth and families to go to. The park is a thoroughfare for thieves on the run from police during break-ins in the area. The park is an eyesore and of no value to the community. Why Hilary Drive Skate Park Needs an Overhaul

3 What can be done Professionally design and build a skate & bike facility. Design a beautiful and functional landscape Designed for families with integrated mix use areas: Swings & Jungle gyms Pushbike track Picnic benches and seating Fence off unused area and block off thoroughfare. Plant vegetation around pump house. Create a demarcated parking area. Skateboarding, BMX and rollerblading competitions. A public recreational and entertainment area (live music, flee markets, farmers markets).

4 What Hilary Drive Park could be. Safe and inviting place for families to go to. Top rated skate & bike facility, that is both safe and functional. Well designed and catering for all levels of compitatncy: the young kid learning to the professional athlete. Beautifully landscaped and attractive. The park could be an asset to the community and holiday makers. An alternate venue for youth other than the streets and beach. The park could be an attraction, drawing people in from the area. Why are skateparks beneficial to communities? There are many benefits to skateparks. They provide community value in five significant ways. Social Benefits Skateparks provide a place for kids who aren t attracted to traditional team sports a place to go and express themselves in an individual and athletic manner. Getting kids, particularly at-risk kids, involved in a personal and esteem-building activity like skateboarding helps them build their confidence to do well in other aspects of their lives. Skateparks provide a place for local youth to meet, socialize, and develop friendships based on a common, healthy interest. These bonds based on a mutual interest in skating often last a lifetime of friendship.

5 Investing in the Youth of Tomorrow

6 Health and Developmental Benefits Providing recreational opportunities to young children helps them develop healthy, active lifestyles and the growing popularity of skateboarding is encouraging more and more people to go outside and roll. On average skaters are between 12 and 17 years old. These are formative years in a youth s life and developing a habitual desire for physical recreation is essential to a healthy future. Skateboarding is physically active and requires great concentration. It encourages children to spend time outdoors, tests their endurance, sharpens their senses, and develops their creativity. Skateboarding requires no coaches and suggests no standardized approach to riding a skatepark. Skaters are free to ride in their own way, to their own abilities, and encouraged to pursue their own style of skating. Many people who started in their teens still enjoy skateboarding well into their 50s. Youth in low-income areas are particularly prone to health issues related to lack of exercise due to the expense of equipment and travel, or lack of leisure time. For these communities a local skatepark becomes an effective tool that teaches healthy, athletic living at an impressionable age. Public Comfort and Safety Benefits Keep skateboarders off of the streets. A large percentage of deaths involving skateboards occur outside of skateparks. Most of these tragedies also involve a motor vehicle. Skateparks, even the more challenging ones, are far safer than kids rolling through busy streets. Skate parks provide a place for local youth to practice their tricks and skills. This means that they re not skating downtown or in areas where they are seen as a nuisance, a menace, or causing damage to structures. Skateboarding ordinances and other deterrents generally fail to significantly mitigate skating in inappropriate areas. Drawing the activity to appropriate areas allow other preventative measures to be more effective. In addition to the direct health benefits, research even suggests that skateboarding can help keep teens out of trouble. A 2006 study found that skateboarders are less likely to smoke cigarettes, have sex, and skip school. ( Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Patterns are Associated with Selected Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors, PEDIATRICS, Vol. 117 No. 4, April 2006)

7 Economic Benefits We do not have any specific studies on the economic impact of skateparks on communities. But from the feedback we receive, skateparks do seem to have a positive effect on businesses in the surrounding area. When a skatepark opens, it tends to draw folks from the outlying communities to come bring their kids to the skatepark, do some shopping, maybe have lunch, etc. The further away the nearest skatepark is, the further people travel to visit the new park. Skate parks attract patrons to local businesses who might not otherwise be in the area. Skateboarders are tenacious and will go wherever the compelling terrain is. While skateparks with high visibility and ample community interaction are healthier environments, skateparks in challenging locations can often serve to activate an otherwise underutilized space. Their presence displaces less desirable elements that require privacy and can be a steady presence for other visitors that may be reluctant to visit a desolate area. Community Development Benefits When parks are built right--with local skater input and involvement throughout the process--those youth develop a sense of ownership, pride, and community engagement. The very existence of the park is the result of their hard work and interaction with the broader community. They worked with civic and local business leaders, with each other on design elements, and with the community to find a suitable location. These previously disenfranchised skaters, who once ran from the police, find themselves working with the police, the city, and the community as a whole. It s a transformational process for these young people. Skateparks allow the broader community to see the skateboarding youth for what they truly are: Passionate, dedicated athletes that voluntarily seek out physical recreation. Most communities with new skateparks are surprised to see how popular and positive the facility is and regret not making it larger. Without skateparks, skateboarders are often treated as pariahs and repeatedly told to leave the area. In some areas they must deal with law enforcement for doing something that they feel is essentially harmless. The cumulative effects of this treatment instill a sense of disconnection to their community. This regrettable cycle creates at-risk youth and is easily preventable through the creation of a local skatepark. When the youth are treated as criminals, they often become criminals.

8 How do we do this? Employ the expertise of professional skateboard park designers. Properly layout and design mix-use areas. Maintenance staff will also need to be employed creating job opportunities. Costs The cost of upgrading the park will range from R1 million to R 2 million depending on design and facilities that are incorporated into the park. This is a great opportunity to put Ballito on the map and show how the local municipality is interested in providing proper recreational facilities for the community to enjoy. In addition, this would add value to visitors in choosing Ballito as a holiday destination and through the press attract a large amount of PR exposure. The venue would also be a great add on to the existing beach festival during the Mr Price Pro in the future, and if built right will be a prime location for BMX and Skate boarding events.

9 The guys behind driving this initiative: Eben Combrinck With over 20 years of skating experience, Eben uniquely blends talent & passion in a creative process that relates to personal development & training in the action sports arena. Eben has played a key role in the progression & development of skateboarding in South Africa and has conceptualized & implemented successful events & marketing campaigns that have gained valuable exposure for a number of industry related brands. Chris Coates Long time local living in the area for over 25 years, skates the park when it was first built and now has kids who skate. He is also is involved with the North Coast Surfers Union who look out for the interests of the local surfing community. Jacques and Brigitte Lotriet Youth Pastors at CRC Church Ballito This initiative is supported by the North Coast Surfers Union For More info contact Chris