Articles

 Articles by Spott the Loonie

This is a collection of articles I've put together for other advocates or City Staff. Feel free to use any of the info below.

The Perils of Pre-fab - My first article highlighting the many issues that come with prefabricated and precast skatepark obstacles.

Hiring a skatepark firm? Better check out their resume.

Here is Their Best & Worst 

Replacing Pre-fab with Concrete - Many communities have replaced their pre-fab parks with concrete skateparks.

Bad 'Crete - Some examples of poorly built concrete skateparks as evidence for choosing experienced builders with skatepark/skateboarding experience.

Skatepark Consultations - 'Prevent this Tragedy' is an amazing Skate Video. It's also been the motto for recent skatepark advocacy campaigns. I'm available to consult on your skatepark project for no charge.

Skatepark Advocacy Burnout - Skatepark Advocacy is hard. Don't get discouraged. I have your back!

Pickering Skatepark Advocacy - a record of the advocacy dealings since 2014 in Pickering with Open Letters & Advocacy helping other communities.

The Best There is to Offer in Skatepark Design and Community Integration - A look at parks of different sizes, unique design features and community involvement & integration.

The Best of the Best in Skateparks: Part 2 - A follow-up looking at more Skatepark Communities and Advocacy.

The Best of 2018 - A look at great skatepark features and amenities discovered on my travels that year.

Small Skateparks Still Have a lot to Offer - Looking at small but fun skateparks, skate spots and skate dots.

Plaza Skateparks - A request from the city, I put together a sampling of quality Plaza Style Skateparks.

Deja Vu Sk8 - Skateparks should be original works of sculptural concrete. Here are some examples of uninspired design.

VFA Parks & General Contractors- Victor Ford & Associates are out of the skatepark game but their influence in Ontario in the late '90's and early 2000's was huge.  A list of General Contractors who have worked on skatepark projects follows the VF&A info.

Skatepark Project Involvement - What does it mean to be 'Involved' in a skatepark project. Well, it can be anything from leading the charge to 'liking' a social media post.