ASRA - Australian Skateboard Racing Association

This is not a thread about a longboard park that is on the way, but about making one happen.

Did you know Australia has a claim to the World's first skateboard park? Many claim to be the first, usually the argument centres on two parks in the USA, California Skateboard City and Carlsbad Park. There was a skatepark created and skated in Albany Western Australia in 1975 (maybe early '76). In fact it still exists, and gets skated every day. So it would definitely have the be the oldest skatepark still in use, and probably was Australia's first skatepark.
Have a quick read of the history of Albany skatepark, and how it was created.

What's this all got to do with Australia's first longboard park?
I read that story, and thought these kids managed to organise themselves to build one of the world's first skateboard parks.
Longboarders number in the tens of thousands in Australia and we still do not have a park designed and built specifically for longboarding. Skate parks do not get created in Australia by some big skateboard association. We can not expect ASRA one day to announce they will build a park. Skateparks get built because skaters of all ages get together and fight old people in council meetings. They hassle the government so much they give in or at least listen.

So I am starting a discussion. The idea is to discuss making Australia's first longboard park or
roads specifically for longboarding. Lets talk about design, size, purpose, lobbying and funding.

Something like this can only be done if a group get together and make it happen.
Maybe we can create a framework/document, to help longboarders all over Australia to approach their local government to get something built in their area.

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jack that may be true but if your parks are anything like ours:

a. they built them with the minimum budget they could/would/should/had to
b. they build them to keep to keep you in one place like a skate reserve/park/zoo
c. they build them to justify getting shitty when you don't use them. " they makes parks for you skateboarders, why cant you just go there?!" that, is a direct quote from a cop who was annoyed i was commuting... in a 50 zone with no line markings.

hmm..... It smells of Bureaucratic 'do as your told, or else.' when parks should really be areas that are fun and purpose built to supply terrain that you just CANT find on the street....

in our situation, its a place where design, safety and access should be the melting pot... Without being the " you've got a playground now sod off my road." etc.... But hey, just my 2c.
Jack Nolan said:
hey guys all the ideas sound sick but, on one point you all seem to assume something, that the government/council will do stuff to stop you...

Sydney City Council/ Clover Moore have blocked the development of several proposed parks in the last 6 years.
Brad B said:
Sydney City Council/ Clover Moore have blocked the development of several proposed parks in the last 6 years.

They also built one too, and I believe they're genuine about wanting to build more.

But it's probably not a massive priority for them, and they're easily spooked by residents who complain about noise/graffiti/antisocial behaviour etc., which is why the other proposals all got knocked back.

What's needed is more skateboarders showing support at the meetings and writing letters etc. Some facts and figures are always helpful, both to show the need for the park and to refute the typical resident's complaints.
There is the big push for more and more cycle ways around Sydney .... ???? A downhill section of track that could be designed for use by many 'gravitational downhill' pastimes as well as cyclists ????

Working in with the push for more bike tracks could get this vision on the road to reality.

Maybe ASRA could delegate a sub committee to look into the feasibility, possible locations, cost estimations and how to go about lobbying support and/or working with bicycle groups to approach relevent goverment bodies.
Best way to make this happen is to do as much research and cost estimates etc. etc. as possible and then present the package more than just the idea.

With my experiences with local councils thru to State and Federal goverments I think this idea has plenty of potential and should be pursued vigorously. With ASRA being one of the best ( if not the best ) skateboard associations in Australia we are in a prime place to make this happen.
Oh and I should mention that Sunday 30th May is another "car-free" day in Centennial Park.
Fox, I ride a bike and am slightly familiar with the world of bike advocacy, and I can't see there being much common-ground between cyclists and skateboarders here. Cyclists hate it when skateboarders (or anyone but cyclists) use bike paths.

In general, the City of Sydney is trying to make the city a friendly place for bikes as transport, and what we're about here is skateboards as recreation. (I know that some people skate for transport, but skateboarding is never going to be a serious transport mode like cycling.)

If I was on the council I'd want to know how many potential users there were in the "catchment area" for the proposed skatepark, and how much it would cost etc. Realistically there aren't that many longboarders at the moment, so the best chance would be for us to tag along with some other bunch of potential users. Who?

Mt Steele would be a good location - it's just a big lump of unused dirt/grass at the moment, and it has a history as a downhill area for grass-boarding.
Wouldn't you get bored riding the same little hill?
probably guff,.....my dream would be to have a few different runs interwinding down the same hill/mountain,...with a different run open each day,the crossover [intersections] being barriered off,3 different runs with varying amounts of difficulty.......
one day the easy course is open for newer riders or beginners,the next day being intermediate and the last run being the most technical,....therefore accomadating for everyone,....lots of dollars tho,and buying the right land in a reasonable position be the prob.
yeah i can understand if your council is against skaters it can be annoying andd frustrating. i was more talking about the people who dont really know what there council would say because they havent asked.

thanks.
i reckon your council would say NO seriously this thread is a bit pie in the sky. And kids don't waste your time writing a letter to council.
Its not so much the councils as the local residents that have blocked the skateparks. What Sydney council and Clover Moore have done is instantly roll over at the first complaint on every occasion.

Brad B said:
Jack Nolan said:
hey guys all the ideas sound sick but, on one point you all seem to assume something, that the government/council will do stuff to stop you...

Sydney City Council/ Clover Moore have blocked the development of several proposed parks in the last 6 years.
your gotta start somewhere Guff

Guff said:
i reckon your council would say NO seriously this thread is a bit pie in the sky. And kids don't waste your time writing a letter to council.

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