Delridge Skatepark plan: Like the new double-bowl design?

The citywide Skatepark Advisory Committee got a closer look last night at those new Delridge Skatepark design renderings mentioned here yesterday. (The one above is oriented with the south side at the top of the art – the rectangle is part of the wading pool.) They incorporate comments from previous public meetings as well as a technical fix; the biggest change is the split into two bowls – the “egg-shaped” one you see various from 6 feet deep to 10 feet deep to allow for a drainage pipe that runs beneath. The revisions also fix a problem with the “drip line” around the park’s existing trees. Committee members offered their thoughts about the bowls’ vertical incline and also some concerns about stairs in the park and how they’ll affect skater traffic. Parks Department project manager Kelly Davidson is taking comments through November 20 (kelly.davidson@seattle.gov) and is hopeful the project will go to bid in March. She also says the $75,000 King County grant requested as part of the project funding has won a committee vote and has one more hurdle to clear.

18 Replies to "Delridge Skatepark plan: Like the new double-bowl design? "

  • B November 10, 2009 (11:53 am)

    I’m not a skater but that looks pretty sweet to me!

  • Tony November 10, 2009 (11:54 am)

    Most excellent….

  • Aim November 10, 2009 (12:49 pm)

    Also not a skater, but I LOVE IT and am completely happy to have my taxes go to something that gives kids something fun to do!

  • funkietoo November 10, 2009 (12:55 pm)

    Seriously Cool!

  • Mike D. November 10, 2009 (1:53 pm)

    Almost makes me want to take up the sport!

  • Silly Goose November 10, 2009 (3:34 pm)

    I am not a skater but my 10 yr old is and this is what she had to say about this design “this is amazing mom when will it be done”? Very excited about our future play land!!

  • Any art? November 10, 2009 (4:51 pm)

    Where’s the art? Will there be any artists involved?

  • WSB November 10, 2009 (6:03 pm)

    Remember the art is a separate project. Not technically part of the skatepark. Nancy Folsom’s been working closely on that – there was a meet and greet just before the Candidates’ Forum at Youngstown last month and our announcement item about it had a bit of a status report:
    https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=21481

  • Lisa K. November 10, 2009 (6:25 pm)

    This is so cool! Maybe for my 40th I’ll have to learn how to skateboard. I am excited that by the time my kid hits the age where he’s going to want to hang out at this sort of place, it will be right down the street. Thanks to Nancy, the Skatepark Advisory Committee and all the folks who’ve been participating in this process. I think this is such a great addition to the neighborhood.

  • Ryan November 10, 2009 (6:33 pm)

    I am a skateboarder of 18 years. I grew up here. We didn’t have the parks like they have now. I’m very excited about this.
    As for the design, not too impressed. I believe we have enough skatepaks with bowls and transitions. Don’t get me wrong, I love to skate them as well. But it is just another bland park. I believe it would be the best interest to use the funds to build a street plaza. Such as Bellevue. Or Portland’s Ed Benedict Park. (I have skated this. Best park I have skated.)
    http://skateportland.org/?cat=12
    http://www.skateallcities.com/wordpress/2009/06/ed-benedict-skatepark-portland-or/
    I really hope the design will be reconsidered.

  • Jim November 10, 2009 (10:33 pm)

    Back in the day, the best we had was the drainage bowl in the parking lot at the White Front store out on Aurora. I just dated myself in so many ways with that statement…..

  • atemybuick November 11, 2009 (9:05 am)

    Looks cool! Maybe they’ll have old folks day and I can pull out my Sims Superply with Tracker Mid-Tracks and Krytonics and take a spin. On the other hand, at almost 46 my skating days should be over. Maybe I’ll just watch.

    Ryan, you should check out the pictures at http://seattleskateparks.org/?p=746 if you haven’t already. Then email your comments to Kelly Davidson at the address given.

  • Nancy F, November 11, 2009 (9:28 am)

    Readers interested in the skate park art project can email me to find out how to get involved. northdelridge@gmail.com. Note, it’s not really a part of the skatepark but I’m willing to draft on the tail of that excitement!

    For Ryan and other readers interested in influencing skatepark design, check out seattleskateparks.org to stay abreast of ways to be involved with future projects. ETA: Oops. I see atemybuick beat me to the ref.

  • MLJ November 11, 2009 (10:30 am)

    Matt from SSdotO/SPAC here…

    Ryan: We’re concerned about having plenty of street terrain too. In fact, we feel like a 60/40 split for street/transition is a good ratio across the entire skatepark system (not individual parks…some are too small), but we feel this park meets that goal. It may not look like a traditional plaza, but the “skateable path” and area around the bowl elements contains a lot of street features.
    .
    But I also understand that it’s not a true plaza nor is it an ideal street skaters paradise. SeaSk8 was supposed to be that, but it kinda missed the mark a little trying to cater to everyone.
    .
    Every skatepark has a limited footprint, and the hardest thing for the designers to do is make everyone totally happy. In the these difficult financial times, as skaters, we should just be amazed that we have a great park to skate. But along with you, I strive for the best case scenario, which is why I suffer through all the meetings. Check out the SSdotO site when you can to keep informed on the meeting schedule and please show up!

  • delridgion November 11, 2009 (10:40 am)

    I’m so happy to see a skate park coming to Delridge but I have to agree with Ryan– the design does seem to be lacking.

    Ryan make sure to get in contact with Nancy and let your other skaters in your circle know as well. It would be a shame to put all that time and money into a park that doesn’t ever get used. Kind of like, eh-hem, the ultra-modern-rarely-used playground in Cottage Grove.

  • Jason November 12, 2009 (2:54 pm)

    Hello everyone. I am way stoked for this park to be built. I’m excited that West Seattle is going to finally have a skatepark. I’m 21 years old, have been skating for about 8 years now and i dont think I’ll ever stop. I do like the design, however the only critique i can think of is the oval bowl. This is nice, however i know that skateboarders of all skill levels will appreciate more of an kidney shaped bowl, or a clover shaped bowl. These shapes will provide more flow, speed, and fun for the boarders that ride it. Here are some examples:

    http://www.concretedisciples.com/cd_skate/CA-S/glendale/kidney_overview_sml.jpg

    http://visual.socalskateparks.com/images/Encinitas/scsp-encinitaskidney.jpg

    http://www.northwestskater.com/lw3640title53108.jpg

    http://www.northwestskater.com/kent3rhkidney329B6907.jpg

    http://www.northwestskater.com/lw3642bowl53108.jpg

    Check it out! also, here are some very successful skate plazas which are some of the best places i have ever skated. ever.

    http://skateornot.com/2008/11/16/yakima-wa-skate-park-plaza/

    this one as well as the skateplaza in bellevue are way rad.

  • Devan November 20, 2009 (6:34 pm)

    I really dont like bowls. I think it should be a all street plaza with maybe one bowl thats the size of the small bowl at burien… the street part reminds me of belview skate plaza……

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