Why Build A Indoor Skatepark As more skaters have taken to the streets (Where else would they go?)and with the climate and seasonal weather and many public parks that do not have lights or have night time restriction do i really need to ask why build an indoor Skate park. Many communities have deemed them a nuisance. Street skating can aggravate pedestrians and shop owners as well as put wear and tear on public and private property. Some of the tricks skaters perform involve "grinding", and objects particularly at risk are handrails, curbs and concrete steps. In response, many cities have banned skating and hand out tickets with hefty fines. It's understandable for communities to ban skating, but is it desirable? Millions of young people are at risk of being treated as criminals for just practicing their sport of choice. Recently NIKE ran a series of TV ads that posed the question: "What if joggers, bicyclists, etc. were treated as criminals?" The response being, "skateboarding is a sport not a crime". Is it any wonder why some skaters have such poor attitudes towards authority? Skaters should be provided places to skate not turned into outlaws for practicing their sport of choice. Unlike other athletes, most skaters do not have a field or court to play in. What they need are skateparks. Many cities are building skateparks, many more are considering it. Skateboarding and inline skating can be healthy sports, keeping the participants active and involved. A safe place to skate is all skaters need. Designed with proper amenities, a skate park can also become a safe place for adolescents to hang out at and socialize with their friends. Some communities have used their skateparks as focal points for other teen activities, such as concerts. Most communities of any size have parks and recreation for other sports, it is time to recognize the needs of this growing segment of the population. The City of Albuquerque, New Mexico recently completed an extensive study of existing skateparks in anticipation of building one of their own. The conclusions they made were based upon direct observations and conversations with the cities that had recently built parks. Some of their conclusions are noted below: • The demand for skateparks is high and it is growing. • Many cities underestimate the demand and wish they had built a larger skatepark. • The skatepark is one of the most widely used facility within the park system. The expense was not as great as originally anticipated and clearly a worth while investment. • Despite their appearance, most skaters are polite, considerate and grateful for the facility. The camaraderie, patience and encouragement they display to one another is wonderful to watch. • The exposure to liability litigation is less than feared. • Involvement of local skaters in the design process is crucial for its success. • Most skaters are drawn away from the streets and into the dedicated skatepark, making it easier to enforce existing ordinances that prohibit skating in public areas.