04.0 The Consultation Process

4.1        Consultation data is only concerned with factual, statistical evidence that can be qualified and quantified. Consultation processes need to be simple and direct and understood by the participant. Information sought should be clear and concise and not open to misinterpretation. Whilst there is a clear benefit of professional consultation or bringing in experienced users from outside the area, the ‘impartial’ nature of the facility needs to remain in tact. For example, a group of inexperienced users asking for a Vert ramp because they have seen it on TV may not be a good idea for a given area. In this instance, the users need to be worked with to find a solution that works for them. Equally though, it is critical that an ‘experienced’ view has a liberal approach to skatepark design.  It’s a balance and an important one to ensure that primarily the needs of the local wheeled sports community are fulfilled.  Not all experienced riders know how to design and may sway the less experienced users away from the best solution.

4.2        Most project promoters claim that they have consulted with the end user. Unfortunately in many cases this consultation has been completed by talking only to a small group of young people who may skateboard, BMX or inline skate and have been asked about the type and nature of ramps that they want. This is not effective consultation and if handled wrongly can signal the end of the project rather than the beginning. Most, if not all young people will, if asked, request the biggest, most lavish looking equipment or alternatively the mirror image of another local provision because that is what they think they need regardless of whether or not they are an end user themselves. Before any consultation process takes place, certain questions must be addressed.

4.3        Effective consultation is concerned with identifying the validity and nature of the items being requested and providing further evidence to take the potential project to the next stage. Consultation should provide the partnership with sufficient evidence with regard to the availability of community support. It follows that the consultation process should be wide and varied in order to give the best possible chance of success with the skate park. The consultation stage is vital and great care must be taken when choosing the method which needs to suit the target audience.

Most contractors will offer to organise local user groups for you, especially for tendering meetings. Whilst this is helpful, there are certain important groups often looked over. Projects wishing to attract a large user group into the facility including users outside the area should include those willing to travel to your park, the companies willing to hold events and the magazines willing to give the park coverage. For those projects looking primarily for a local use facility – The consultation should still look outwardly to those facilities held in high regard by core media and end users. Those who do not have often found themselves with a facility which stirs little interest beyond the first few weeks – and no sustainability for local users.
You need this group to give this park initial direction, in their choosing of the style of park they wish to have, be it a bowl, a plaza or any of the other current style.

The project manager should always make sure they are part of the user group. With the correct representation of end users this will help to ensure that this project is completed to the highest level of quality possible. Without organisation in this area, the project will have fallen at a very early stage.

Older end users wouldn’t think twice about travelling greater distances to reach a skate park. Currently this would be partly due to the lack of decent facilities currently on offer, but also the fact that no skateboarder, BMXer or Inliner would be entirely content just skating one facility.

4.3.1     PEER RESEARCH • this method is commonly used by youth work professionals and youth related agencies researching people. It consists of people going out into the local community and talking to other people using a prearranged format and process. This process is not recommended as the chances of hitting your target audience – The end user with knowledge of ‘good’ skate park facilities – is minimal.


 

4.3.2     A YOUTH PARTICIPATION DAY - can be used to capture all sections of your community in one place. Provision of temporary equipment can be used to encourage end users to come together and to air their thoughts on the facility, however ultimately those who are knowledgeable and passionate about wheeled action sports would not require this hook to participate in consultation. This process is better used in areas where local skate shops, magazines or independent bodies cannot identify key users of the local area. Organised correctly, the event is a one-stop initial consultation tool that incorporates all partners and potential clients and will allow you to determine the style of the intended facility. This can provide an excellent publicity medium if there is lack of support for the cause.

4.3.3     END USER QUESTIONNAIRE - this involves a general questionnaire aimed at the end user, which asks a series of questions with regard to the initial outline or style of a skating facility within the area. This method has been best employed as an online survey, as users from the wider catchment area of the facility as well as more experienced users can have input.

4.3.4     LOCAL SKATE SHOP ASSISTANCE – This method of finding your target audience is probably the most effective in that skate shops will already be in touch with skateboard, BMX and inline users within your area. Skate shops generally have knowledge of facilities further a field as well as examples of high quality skate parks which can be looked upon for inspiration.

4.4               Whilst it is important that the correct people are involved, there are some routes which easily lead to a poor facility.

 
These pointers should help make the process easier.

Do:
Make it a priority to contact your local skate shop. Often this is a hub for the local scene and they should be able to contact many of the end users who will support this facility and be the regular user. They should also be able to put you into contact with any local professionals who represent the scene.

Advertise your meetings in local papers, particularly the free ones. In areas with no skate shop this is a good way of informing older skaters.

Advertise your project/meetings in local schools and youth centres.

Advertise your project/meetings in other skate parks in the borough.

Contact the UKSA, as we can put you into contact with people in your area who will have worthy input into your project.

Ask local skaters to tell all the other skaters! Word of mouth is one of the most effective communication devices in the skate world.  

Do Not:

Rely solely on the companies tendering to organise the user group.

Take your plans into a local school for review. You will be relying on a user group for whom the majority would have never stepped into a skate park, let alone have the experience and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t.

Forget to include adult users as these often have the most experience.

Rely too heavily on the younger skaters as they will only have limited experience riding and generally would have not visited some of the best examples of skate park facilities.

05.0 User Needs

5.1 The feasibility study previously suggested should identify not only potential numbers of users for the facility, but should also seek to demonstrate the breakdown of the numbers of participants within each of the three main activities, namely skateboarding, skating and BMX riding. In addition, this study should seek to identify the fundamentals of the skate park in terms of size and type of facility required as well as potential site locations.