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skaters for public skateparks

PORTLAND, Ore., February 1, 2005 - Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS) today launched a new informational tool to help public officials and municipalities make key decisions about the site selecting and construction of skateparks in their regions.
______________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kent Dahlgren
503-282-1034


SKATERS FOR PUBLIC SKATEPARKS LAUNCH NEW
RESOURCE CENTER AND COMMUNITY FORUM

www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org offers
accessibility to skatepark decision makers.


PORTLAND, Ore., February 1, 2005 - Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS) today launched a new informational tool to help public officials and municipalities make key decisions about the site selecting and construction of skateparks in their regions.

"There is a huge void when it comes to easily accessible information about the 'who, what and where' of public skateparks," said SPS Executive Director Kent Dahlgren. "We are pleased that we can offer this excellent source of skatepark information to public officials and city administrators who may be considering building a park in their town."

The SPS website is designed to walk interested individuals through the critical decisions and success factors regarding all aspects of public skateparks. From community involvement process to site selection and development, SPS supplies all the answers in one easily accessible location.

"The website saves cities the trouble and expense of coming up with the same old stuff every time a process starts," said Rod Wojtanik, project manager and landscape architect for the Portland Parks Bureau. "Giving them the criteria, management approaches, maintenance figures, design costs, etc. for free, means more money goes into the parks."

SPS, through regional representation and active ties to the communities it serves, represents the aggregate views and wishes of skateboarders as it pertains to public skateparks.

"Educating a city on the benefits of a new skatepark is an enormous and often complicated task," said Dahlgren. "The process requires research, organization, and enthusiasm as well as knowledge of what has worked well and not-so-well in other communities."

About SPS

Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit skatepark advocacy organization, international in reach, dedicated to providing the information necessary to ensure safe, rewarding, freely-accessible skateparks are available to all skateboarders. For more information, please visit us at www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org.

add a comment on this article

kurtkabang 02.Feb.2005 17:07

cool site

nicely made site. activists from all over (that are interested in community development and the like rather than revolution) should read this site for its very basic approach to organizing and getting into the system to make it work for you rather than against.

don't get me wrong, fuck bush and all that.

cheers.

spend it all (and then some) 04.Feb.2005 14:38

Andrew Z

The public finances skate parks,
off-leash doggie locales, etc.

THEY SHOULD BE FINANCED BY THE USERS - NOT THE GENERAL
TAXPAYING PUBLIC!

Grass roots fundraising of skateparks 07.Feb.2005 23:14

Kent Dahlgren

Of the 96 skateparks in Oregon, only one was funded solely out of taxpayer's contributions (West Linn). The rest were funded through hard work of the users themselves. Nationally, this too is true. Please take time to examine the web site, and you'll see that we share your perspective: SPS Fundraising section However, might it be too bold to ask people to consider how many other publicly sanctioned recreational areas were NOT funded by taxpayer dollars? Further, why is it appropriate to fund, say, a baseball field, but not a skatepark? Is there a demographic difference that lends one to conclude one activity is more valid than another? Considering that today there are more people riding skateboards than playing baseball? _____________ Kent Dahlgren Executive Director Skaters for Public Skateparks