The croydon youth space is a jointly federally & Maroondah City Council funded project whose aim is to create a new and exciting recreation space for young people
Maroondah City Council will be replacing the current Croydon Skatepark facility with a new broader development at Croydon Park. The new skate area will be the same size as the existing skatepark, approx 600m2.
Maroondah City Council made it clear at the beginning of this process that an enclosed bowl was not appropriate for the new skatepark development at Croydon Park.
Consultation’s to date:
24th November 2010, Croydon Park. Initial feedback included:
- Skaters wanted to see a simple but good park with well spaced elements.
- 3 BMX users wanted a bowl and a spine
- And open bowl was a popular choice amongst skaters and BMXers, better to enhance flow (like Boxhill)
- 90% of users said they hang out at the Croydon Skatepark because it is fun and they live in the area.
- Other suggestions for the space included an Outdoor Cinema, outdoor soccer and volleyball as well as shade for when it’s hot and raining.
- Lighting for night skating and security.
- Art spaces
1st April 2011, E.V’s on Mount Dandenong Road. Requests from Users:
- Skaters wanted the park to have continuous flow
- Ledges and Flat Bars
- Croydon Ledge – perfect run up and run off
- Size of rail can be slightly lower than real size
- Plenty of space for obstacles
- Big, open, fun space
- Events, Clinics
- Better to have less obstacles with more space
- No bowl needed. Ringwood, Lily Dale and Boxhill all close by.
- Good run up to elements
- Don’t jam too much in with more space between
- Simply mini ramp may be removed in the distant future, so repetition of 1200 height mini not a problem.
- 4 stair max, don’t want a big set
- Hip
- Spine
- Good run up and recovery areas
- Emphasis on big open space, not super gnarly
- Less granite/expensive materials so cost can go on skatepark
- Pool wall
- Berms
Main outcomes from surveys
- Good ledge and rail
- Ringwood close by, accommodates for bowl users.
- Sculptural elements
- Interconnected plaza and social spaces
- Open bowl / mini ramp
- PLAZA FOCUS
- Banked Hip
Why we didn’t include some user requests:
Bowl – The Council brief makes it clear that no enclosed bowls are to be included in the design. There is also Ringwood, Lilydale and Boxhill Skatepark facilities that have bowls. These are all close by.
4 stairs – not included as banks give more opportunities for 2 way flow and trick direction. If the majority of users want stairs we can possibly add them to one side of the hubba. Having a bank on one side will keep the 2 way flow but the fly out ledge will only be useable from one side.
Spine - A spine element takes up a lot of space, for only one feature. Also there is a spine at lilydale skate facility. A spine did not fit in with this design.
Sculptural elements – sculptural elements can be included, but generally more space is needed around these and they tend to be more expensive than ledges and rails. We would have to reduce the number of ledges and rails to accommodate for the additional run up and run off as well as the cost difference. .
Pool Wall – could potentially still be added to the east end of the mini ramp; however it wouldn’t be able to function as anything else.
Berms – the 600mm high ¼ pipe has the ability to function as a berm too.
Banked Hip – Initial designs included a banked hip, however the existing trees and root system meant we could not fit the hip in. There is a quarter pipe hip in the mini ramp. A banked hip in this location would disrupt users flow.
Not all features can be included simply due to cost and the allocated skatepark area of 600m2.
- Category:
- Sports/recreation/activities