Downtown Tacoma Skatepark? (17. May 2006, 18:03 by Derek Young) ~ Anybody Know Details?
I don’t have many details, but there’s a rumor going about that somebody has proposed a skatepark be built under I-705. How official? I have no idea. Anybody?
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There’s also a group trying to work the legislative side of things at tacomaparks.org
It came up repeatedly in the public spaces workshop last week Every group that looked at the space in and around Pacific Plaza agreed skaters need a place to do their thing. The under 705 idea was pretty popular as was an idea to spread out different skating zones to keep the crowds of skaters down but to keep the course more interesting.
5 | Posted by KevinFreitas | May 17, 08:31 PM
“It came up repeatedly in the public spaces workshop last week Every group that looked at the space in and around Pacific Plaza agreed skaters need a place to do their thing. ”
That’s interesting.
However, if I am not mistaken, the area of town they are talking about just had an article in the TNT discussing how the crime had risen in the area around Elephant Car Wash.
I guess the plan would get skateboarders out of downtown.
Unless the place is monitored, however, it would likely be pretty disfunctional in that location.
Putting it under 705 around 15th wouldn’t be so bad. I’m personally for avoiding a complete skate park but to put elements of a skate park in a few different locations to put things more in the open and to eliminate the “clumping” effect that might cause more problems. A couple jumps here, a few there. The entire city would still be a place they can ride it would just be on surfaces the city doesn’t mind if they grind on.
Unfortunately, me and my long board probably wouldn’t make much use of any of it.
I wonder what the skaters good enough to use a park think?
7 | Posted by KevinFreitas | May 18, 05:24 AM
So would that be right at the end of the Foss? That’s not a bad idea. Have any specific plans been drawn up or are they just talking placement right now?
9 | Posted by KevinFreitas | May 18, 08:04 AM
Oop—my bad. Just looked at the master plan. That might be a great spot!
10 | Posted by KevinFreitas | May 18, 08:12 AM
It’s ironic that just this past Saturday we observed a skatepark in London coexisting seemingly peacefully just down the water walkway from the bustling Tate Modern (museum). Curious how things are different in Europe.
11 | Posted by Team Exit133 | May 18, 05:46 PM
What struck me about the skate park on London’s South Bank was how it was truly placed in the middle of a very touristy walking area. This seems to ensure a constant people presence and very little room for mischief or problems. I have a photo of the place around here somewhere…
“This seems to ensure a constant people presence and very little room for mischief or problems.”
Yep. I agree. The park needs to have a TON of normal traffic by it if its not going to be a center for vandalism and other problems like other similar parks. Many skate parks get a ton of police calls.
The problem with the 705 location is that it is far out of the way with almost no foot traffic around it. I don’t see that it could work there. Plus, this area of Tacoma has a high crime rate.
Perhaps it could be in Wright Park by Subway and the rest of the intersection.
Another option is in some of the greenspace on Ruston Way on the waterfront where all of the people are walking around.
The city needs to research what parks have worked and the ones that haven’t.
Commenting is closed for this article.
- Posted: 17. May 2006, 18:03
- Author: Derek Young
- Category: Rumor-and-Speculation
- Comment Status: Closed
