The question the advocates are wrestling with now seem to be all about whether or not sinking it down into the ground will be a problem.

What do you think?  Will a sunken flatbottom drain?  Does sinking it down make it less skateable?  If it’s sunken down will it increase the likelihood problematic behavior?

Also notable is that Grindline, because they were a subcontractor on the design, should be able to bid on the construction.  If this happens and they are awarded the contract, I will throw a party, and you’re invited.

Check out the bid announcement here:  Delridge Ad

Hello All:

I’m writing to give you a quick update on Crown Hill.  We decided to go with a miniramp instead of a minibowl.   The community meeting made it clear that either option would be good and acceptable to most everyone.  The miniramp really fit well into the initial criteria expressed during the whole process, mainly to create a dot good for young beginners that also provided interest for intermediate skaters.  We also felt like we could get more park for the dollar since a bowl would have required more extensive drainage and possible a geotech report which would have taken time and money.

Brad will be posting his schematic design on his website soon and Parks will post it as well.  His will be up first.  Let us know what you think!  I think the team did a good job at maximizing the space by incorporating it with the proposed plaza.  We will be moving forward with this design. Minimal changes may occur as we go through design development.

Thanks for your input!
Kim

Congrats to all the kids up there who wanted a concrete mini.  If you wanted something a little more creative, but still mellow, maybe you should start thinking about a field trip.

The only thing I have to say is…AWESOME!  This is totally going to be my favorite skatepark in Seattle.

Thanks to Matt Lawson for taking the photos.

I kid of course.  I posted this a month ago.  You now have been reminded.  There will only be one meeting, and the designer will be Pillar Designs.

Hopefully that means we’ll get something a little different this time.

Here’s the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2010

Contact:
Karen O’Connor
206-233-7929
karen.o’connor@seattle.gov

SEATTLE PARKS HOSTS MEETING FOR DESIGN OF SKATEDOT AT CROWN HILL PARK

Seattle Parks and Recreation will host a public meeting on Monday, August 2, 2010 at the Crown Hill Center, 9250 14th NW, from 6 – 8 p.m. to gather input from the community on the new skatedot that will be developed in Crown Hill Park.

Pillar Design Studios, a professional skatepark designer, will lead the community in this workshop for the design of the skatedot. A skatedot is an approximately 1,500-square-foot area with ”skatable” terrain.

The community participated in planning for this park in early 2006, and at a community meeting in April 2010. The Parks and Green Spaces Levy provides $1.2 million to move this project forward into final design and construction. The schematic design includes a skatedot, a pedestrian circulation path, celebrated entries, open space, areas for play and a newly renovated field. Construction of the site is projected for spring 2011 and anticipated to be complete by fall 2011.

Seattle voters passed the Parks and Green Spaces Levy by a 59% vote in November 2008. The new $146 million Levy provides acquisition funding for new neighborhood parks and green spaces and development funding for projects such as improved playfields, reservoir lid parks, renovated playgrounds, community gardens, and safety upgrades at city owned cultural facilities

For more information please visit: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/projects/crown_hill/or contact Kim Baldwin, Senior Capital Improvement Coordinator at 206-615-0810 or kim.baldwin@seattle.gov.

This is the last time I’m going to give this jackass publicity.  But if anyone knows this person, as some of the emails that have come in suggests, please try to explain that this does nothing but hurt our ability to build more skateparks.  Thanks.

Show up and get your input in!

This comes at a time when Delridge is taking for-freakin’-ever and Maple Leaf skaters got straight up jacked.  I guess you can’t win ‘em all.

But I tell you what, Seattle Parks project manager Kim Baldwin sure knows how to get it done.  This one was presumed to have been DOA.  With Lower Woodland, Jefferson, and now Crown Hill under her belt, she’s looking to take the title from the reigning SPD skatepark champion, Kelly Davidson (Dahl, Delridge, and the Capitol Hill skatedot).

As usual, don’t celebrate until the ‘crete is dry, but this is a great little amendment to the system up in the NW corner of our soon-to-be-skateable city.

Watch here for the meeting notices and get your ass out there. These projects have a way of going South unless there’s a solid base of support behind them.  You never know when those crafty lawn bowlers are going to sneak up and snatch your turf.