Ideas for Skaters Organizing with Cities

[Urtripping]

Edited my original post for clarity: I have been very inspired by a skateboarding organization in my state called Community Push. They've done some very positive things for the skate scene in Detroit, MI and are a model for how skaters can lobby for themselves and get things done by cooperating with city officials.

I could go on and on about the things they've accomplished, they've done more than I even know... The point is they set the bar for doing tangible things that benefit skateboarders and the greater community. I plan on reaching out to the main man behind it for advice on where to begin, but I'm certain there are some dudes here who have great ideas or guidance on getting something like this going in my own city. I can't hope to be as successful in my area as Community Push has been in Detroit, but I feel a strong compulsion to do something positive for the scene here. I'm wondering how to:

1  Approach and work with the city to designate approved diy spots/acquire permits to build

2. Raise funds/demonstrate interest in stagnated city skatepark projects to get them moving again

[pizzafliptofakie]

Where in Michigan are you?

[Urtripping]

Where in Michigan are you?

Muskegon, Michigan. It's just west of Grand Rapids on the shore of Lake Michigan. I'm gonna send you a pm, I have definitely skated with you over in Ann Arbor and at Prospect 

[BALARGUE]

Check what Leo Valls did in Bordeaux / France

https://youtu.be/Uxfqak7LMFU

more info here:
https://soundcloud.com/ventcity/flowgram5-ryan-lay-and-ted-barrow-interview-leo-valls-about-city-hall-and-skate-stoppers

[j....soy.....]

I'd look at a couple things :

1) who owns the land : seems easy but I don't think skaters always look at that.  They'll post on Instagram 'isn't this a great idea, who's down???'

2) find and learn about a model that works and apply it is. Community gardens, this is a big thing here, developers get tax breaks for these on their land until they build.  What are the parameters?  How do you change it. 

I'm not going to discount activism and getting support but it's important to know the mechanics of the process.

Or......just do it and ask for forgiveness...

[Urtripping]

I'd look at a couple things :

1) who owns the land : seems easy but I don't think skaters always look at that.  They'll post on Instagram 'isn't this a great idea, who's down???'

2) find and learn about a model that works and apply it is. Community gardens, this is a big thing here, developers get tax breaks for these on their land until they build.  What are the parameters?  How do you change it. 

I'm not going to discount activism and getting support but it's important to know the mechanics of the process.

Or......just do it and ask for forgiveness...

Haha yes, I know next to nothing about the mechanics of doing all of this right! That's why info from you guys is so helpful to my situation. I do want to take the cooperative approach rather than the asking for help approach. I feel that if this is a success, it would have a way to designating real downtown spots for skating or developing skateable objects in public spots.

I also want to convince the city to give us a space we can have control over. I don't want people at the city who know nothing about it steering things a kooky direction. That's why I feel I want to go into it with a well prepared plan.

I have definitely been thinking about the community garden idea. There is a vacant field right there on the land I'm thinkin of, and there are some successful urban farms in the city so I think it would play. Plus, I think tending to it would be such a great thing to do to stay busy in the summer (I'm a teacher, summers can get boring)

I have yet to get in touch with any city officials to get details about the property or share the plans that have been swirling in my head, but I know it's going to be a slow and gradual process. I wouldn't be able to break ground till winter's over anyway.

I am thinking about sending a lil presentation to the city and plan to include details about success stories in Michigan and elsewhere, so links like the Leo Valls video are also especially helpful.

[j....soy.....]

Yeah what you hope for is there are people out there like city planners that can be stoked on the idea.... Proposals are good but sometimes you realize how far off the mark you are....before you write one up, I'd try and have some sort or ally that can give you direction.

Cities can often have so many layers from elected officials, and city staff : engineering, parks, culture, etc.. All might work. 

Something you can do is talk about smaller pilot projects, ie. a miniramp for a summer?  A quarter pipe in a covered space?  Just a bench.....try to build in some sort of stewardship or programming. 

[Cellular]

you should have a city council rep.  go to town meetings, shoot an email etc.  they usually friendly in my expierience.  id mention liability and how you and ur buddies will maintain it

[WavyDavy]

Solo Mag releases a skate urbanism issue.
Some articles are online. I will check it later if something is worth scanning and uploading.

https://soloskatemag.com/solo-36

[theloniousmonk]

Madison, WI is going to have a few areas that the city has ok’d for diy where skaters can build stuff, and then an engineer from the city approves it. It’s a really cool idea, and I think that parks departments are probably willing to let stuff like this happen if someone brings it up to them

[mj23]

A few weeks ago I was really stoned sweeping pebbles out of the way at a spot with a broom and I thought “the city should totally take advantage of skaters as free groundskeepers.” Imagine... skaters with brooms... taking care of neglected public spaces... wow man

So maybe if I had to spin up something useful to contribute here: many of the most successful diy spots get built in places that are already in disrepair. If skaters can show that they’re actually cleaning the place up (as opposed to trashing it, which we admittedly do sometimes), the spot tends to last a lot longer. Not saying you should go barge into a homeless camp or get shot next to an open air drug market, but there’s a knack to identifying sites where the authority figures think skating would be an improvement, rather than a downgrade.

And also I second the suggestion above about starting small. In NYC for example there are parks where a few little obstacles sort of got the ball rolling on negotiations with the parks department and have resulted in good spots for years on end. Just start with a box or a ledge or a flat bar or a parking block... see where it goes