The Best New Skatepark FEATURES of the Last 5 Years

The Best New Skatepark FEATURES 

of the Last 5 Years!

Last year I wrote about 'The Worst New Skateparks of the Last 5 Years' highlighting (low lighting?) some poorly conceived concrete skateparks and what went wrong.

I've been to over 260 Skateparks, Spots, Dots and Pump Tracks since 2021 and there have been many standout parks. Towns & Cities with great parks are labeled in RED on the Skatepark Directory.

With great parks come great features and amenities but even some mid and crappy parks can have something we can learn from.

Shade

Shade with seating became the main hang out spot at the new BROOKLIN Skatepark. It also features a Tool Station.

HALP Skatepark's seating and shade structure.

Washrooms & Water

HALP's outdoor amenities include this Washroom with water bottle filling station and a misting station (below).  I haven't seen the Mister working yet and I have concerns with its proximity to the skatepark.

BROOKLIN has a restroom building with water next to the skatepark and other outdoor amenities so users don't have to go to the Rec Centre.  I also enjoy a splash pad near a skatepark. Dunking your head after you shred, can't go wrong.

Nanny Cam

This one's a little older but I was there recently. The Fort Erie Skatepark 'Angel Cam' deters unwanted behaviour and allows users to check on the condition of the park before heading there.  I even did a screen recording of the Angel Cam while I skated.

Astroturf

The high-traffic area between the sidewalk and the skatepark was finished with astroturf at Foundry Skatepark in Orillia. This serves a few purposes.  Firstly, no lawn clippings to end up on the park.  Second, fresh sod at skateparks tends to get trampled and doesn't do well. This will prevent that issue.  There's a 'grass' gap on the flat ledge.

There's an ~20ft buffer of turf surrounding the new Gore Meadows Skatepark in Brampton.

Grass Gaps

In addition to the 'Turf Gap' from Foundry Skatepark, Pefferlaw included a grass gap by insetting the flat ledge by 12inches.  A small change that opens up a whole new option for skatepark users.

Stefan Wenek Skatepark in Ottawa has a grass gap hubba leading from the bowl's deck to the street section flat.  

 

Extra Stuff

The new Pickering Skatepark got a bunch of upgrades from the builders (we kept them happy with drinks and snacks).  This brick stamped flat was supposed to be a lawn. Builders also added a ledge on the Brick Hip (left) and a little QP hip on a deck.

Both Arnprior and Pickering got laser cut flat bar supports that make the park part of the community.

A couple of new parks in Toronto got skatable features. North Park (above) included a curb, ledge and sculptural bench in its new sport court.  Trimmer Skate Spot (below) is a skatable walkway to the new community centre.