Landscape Architecture Students Help to Design Skatepark on the Charles
21 May 2003
The Charles River Conservancy's proposal for a skatepark in the New Basin emerged
in 1999 from the designs of students enrolled in a Radcliffe Seminar in landscape
architecture. Their goal was to transform the brownfield near Miller's River (the
site is in the vicinity of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge on the Charlestown
side) into an accessible and attractive facility for youth throughout Greater
Boston.
As advocates for the restoration, renewal, and maintenance of the Charles River
Parklands, the CRC recognized the concept of a skatepark along the river as a
wonderful way to bring skaters as well as spectators to what would otherwise be
an underused area in the vicinity of the Zakim Bridge.
The proposed location for the skatepark is directly under I-93 on the water's
edge where the concrete pilings anchor the new bridge. This area is part of the
Central Artery's parcel 29F, the last parcel of New Basin land to be designed
as part of the $95 million mitigation efforts in connection with the Central Artery
project.
Carol R. Johnson Associates (a landscape architecture firm) has been awarded
the contract for parcel 29F and is reviewing the site to make initial design recommendations
which (thanks to CRC efforts) include locations for the skatepark.
The budget for parcel 29F only covers minimal landscape treatment, and the
CRC will have to secure funds for additional design efforts as well as for the
implementation costs that exceed the planned budget. Currently, the average cost
allocation within parcel 29F amounts to an average of $9/square foot - to be distributed
unevenly within the parcel for landscape treatment purposes. According to the
SPA (Skate Park Association) USA's website, concrete skateparks start as low as
$10/sq. ft., average $16/sq. ft., and can be as high as $20/sq. ft. depending
on excavation, grading, drainage, irrigation, water table etc. The construction
of an average 10,000 sq. ft park will run about $140,000.
While Carol R. Johnson Associates conducts their site analysis and preliminary
designs, the CRC is researching skateparks and looking into funding sources for
the design process. Conversations and literature suggest that skaters prefer cast-in-place
concrete parks to modular parks. (Though concrete parks are more expensive to
design and construct, they last longer than modular parks, require less maintenance,
and offer a smoother ride.) Therefore, the CRC is primarily interested in concrete
parks, and will explore corporate and individual funding possibilities, as well
as foundation and state grants. In January of 2003, the CRC received a $5,000
grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation, which is earmarked for the design process.
The Boston Foundation has also donated funds to ensure youth participation in
the design process of the park.
In addition to meeting with groups such as the Charlestown Neighborhood Council,
the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and the Citizens Advisory Committee for the
New Basin, the CRC also has a committee to move the planning and fundraising elements
forward while incorporating youth into the process of advocacy and design
As part of this committees' efforts to involve youth, there will be a meeting
on Thursday June 5th from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Boston Public Library (Community
Room #4). Skateboarders are encouraged to come to this meeting and talk with
an architect and skatepark designer about what they'd like to see in their skatepark.
Professional skateboarder Vanik Hacobian will also be there. If you are a skateboarder,
or you know someone who is, please pass this information along! And if you do
plan to attend, please let us know by calling the CRC office or email crc@thecharles.org.
This effort has received financial support from the Boston Foundation and the
Tony Hawk Foundation.
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