Group Seeks To Add More Skateparks Across Delaware County

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — Skateparks are a hub for people of all ages, races, and genders who all have one thing in common: having fun while exercising.

Barring extreme weather, you can find a skateboarder, inline skater, BMXer, and even a scooter rider at almost any given time in a skatepark.

And the Delco Skatepark Coalition wants to bring these athletic community hubs to more parts of Delaware County.

Stacy Olkowski of Upper Providence started the group with other like-minded residents in an effort to find out who wants a skatepark in their area and where they could go.

"We spend a lot of time traveling to parks in the area," she said of her family. Olkowski's son and one of her twin daughters are skateboarders. "Kids need a place to go.

And she knows how tough that can be.

"When I used to skate we would hang out in the parking lot and jump over garbage cans, hopping the curb at the Acme," she said.

So back in October she and a few others launched a petition gauging community interest in skateparks.

More than 950 people have signed on so far.

"People have come out of the woodwork to support this," she said.

Even Philadelphia-based marketing company Truth and Consequences jumped in and created a website for the coalition at no charge.

"They said 'we believe in what you’re doing,'" Olkowski said of the firm, which comprises former and current skaters.

While most of the feedback is positive, Olkowski said she worried about pushback from some who may hold the "not in my backyard" line on skateparks.

But Olkowski and company also want to educate people on skating, other "extreme" sports," and the benefits of them.

"There is a old-school personification of deadbeat skaters," she said. "That has changed a lot in the last 30 years."

Skating went from a very niche sport to being the center of the zeitgeist thanks to skating legend Tony Hawk and his successful series of skating video games, the X Games, and the affordability and availability of skateboards.

"It's much more accessible than its ever been," Olkowski said.

And skating shirks the traditional team-based sport model of baseball, football, and others in favor of a more independent, personal, and creative athletic experience.

"Its got a certain panache," Olkowski said. "It's got a draw to it because of that."

But despite skating's independence, it also has a unique community behind it.

Olkowski spoke of "Banadana Dads" who go to skateparks with their kids to pass along the sport.

And at skateparks, generations, ethnicities, and genders converge, creating a diverse community all sharing a space where encouragement and support thrive.

"It spans the ages," Tammy Cohen said of skating.

Cohen is the Director Recreation & Community Programming Department in Radnor Township, which has an extremely popular skatepark in Wayne's Encke Park.

Skateparks are a crucial aspect of providing skaters safe, controlled environments where they can practice their skill

"The private business of skateboarding facilities have gone away," Cohen said. "Public skateparks aren't. We want to reinvent street skating in a public environment."

Cohen echoed Olkowski words, saying the benefits of skateparks abound.

"Recreation is so subjective and extreme sports are just as important as something like baseball," she said. "Its something a lot of people can enjoy."

Even in the cold weather, skaters and more can be found in Radnor's park.

Olkowski said she took her kids to the Radnor park when it was 30 degrees outside and said at least a dozen people were there.

Cohen said she saw someone shoveling snow from the park recently, as well.

"People travel far and wide to the Radnor skate park," Cohen said. "There probably do need to be more skate parks in the area."

Which comes back to the Delco Skatepark Coalition.

She said right now the coalition is looking to gather support in places such as Springfield, Media, and Clifton Heights.

"The reason is the county's population can support it," Olkowski said. "There are a lot of kids under 18; 22 to 23 percent of the county's population is under 18. And think of the people who skate who are older than 18."

But with a skatepark comes a lot of costs.

"It's a lot to establish one," Cohen said. "Location, infrastructures, maintenance, operation. It's a big investment for communities."

Radnor's park opened in 2004 following much discussion and debate. Cohen attributes the park's establishment to leaders at the time who made sure the park was built.

Cohen said Radnor's park gets daily maintenance due to its heavy use and had major upgrades about five years ago.

She also said the surfacing of the park needs to be replaced every 10 to 15 years.

But Cohen said she sees little to no drawbacks in municipalities opening their own parks.

The only hang up is simply that the Radnor park can get crowded.

"Probably one drawback is if Radnor is one of the few parks that exist, then the popularity and draw to Radnor is higher that means over crowding," she said. "If more parks exists throughout the county and other communities, maybe the few that do exist wouldn't have over crowding."

Olkowski said the coalition aims to have three to five additional skateparks set up in Delaware County.

Residents who are interested in the coalition can learn more on their website here.