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Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
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Poughkeespie Skart Plaza Project Survey
Submitted by HV on Thu, 05/15/2008 - 6:42pm.
Show your support for the Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza Project! Read the FAQ below, then scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out the short survey to provide feedback for this project...
A Skatepark in Sweden: The Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza Skatepark would feature simple street-oriented obstacles such as these shown above
What is the Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza Project?
The Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza (PSP) is a campaign to reinvigorate the aging Poughkeepsie Sculpture Park located at the intersection of Main and Bridge Streets in the City of Poughkeepsie by utilizing the space around the old sculptures to create opportunites for active recreational action sports activities such as skateboarding as well as new opportunities for artistic expression such as painting, sculpture and public performance. Combining both "skateboarding"and "art" in downtown Poughkeepsie in this space suggests the name "Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza" (PSP).
Grass Stairs in Sweden
The initial idea is to build "skate paths" around the existing sculptures - along these sidewalks would be obstacles such as ledges, benches, rails, stairs, manual pads and other unique obstacles out of concrete and other durable materials such as brick and asphalt. Also included in the design could be a dual-purpose stage, which would function both as an obstacle and an actual stage for performances.
Small Stairs & Steps: Sweden again
What would this project do for the Lower Main Street neighborhood and the city of Poughkeepsie?
The PSP would reenergize an under-utilized, long-dormant city park,provide both city and suburban youth with a popular and modern athletic facility, and bring new youthful energy to the neighborhood. Another benefit of this project would be economic: dozens of daily users and their friends and families bringing their wallets to lower Main Street will provide a welcome stimulus to existing retail, restaurant, and other businesses as well as provide the impetus to attract NEW business development and foot traffic from inside and outside the city to the neighborhood.
Krooked Grind in Sweden
Interesting Hip: Sweden again
How much would this project cost, and who would pay for it?
The PSP project could be constructed in phases if necessary, and the initial phase could be completed for as little as $50,000. Total cost might be three or four times that number, but remains to be seen. This project would initially be supported by private fundraising efforts, but would certainly welcome any public grants or monies to assist in its completion.
Doesn't the city already have a skatepark at Waryas Park?
The Skatepark at Waryas Park opened @ 2002 and is operated by the Dutchess County YMCA. It is only open on a part-time seasonal basis, is supervised, and charges an admission fee for both city residents and non-residents. At six years of age, it has certainly served its purpose and the city has certainly got its money's worth out of the park.
However, the Waryas Skatepark design is very dated (read: unexciting), its limited hours of operation actually encourage many users to hop the fence and use the park when it is closed, and its isolated location in the far corner of Waryas Park does not contribute to the economic stimulus of the Main Street area.
The design of the PSP would be very modern and exciting, based on the needs and desires of active skateboarders who are looking for more-challenging terrain, and would attract more users, especially the many users who simply do not use the Waryas park because they are not interested by it.
NOTE: The campaign for the PSP is not advocating for the closure of the Waryas Skatepark. The Waryas Skatepark would continue to offer a skateboarding experience for novices and intermediate users, with supervision provided for those parents who desire to leave their child in an attended skateboarding environment. The PSP would complement this existing park by providing a modern upgrade.
How would the PSP be operated and maintained? What about liability?
The PSP would be a free park, open to all users regardless of their economic situation. Operated in the same manner as the city's numerous basketball courts, users would use the park at their own risk and would be held responsible to follow all posted rules. Liability would presumably fall under the same categories as the city's existing basketball courts and playgrounds. Since other upstate cities such as Binghamton, Elmira, and Ithaca have owned and operated free public concrete skateparks for nearly a decade without incident, Poughkeepsie should be able to do the same. Its location on Main Street makes it highly visible and easy to patrol by the Poughkeepsie Police. This factor alone would make it easy to prevent unwanted activities in the park.
Constructed from concrete, the PSP would rarely need physical maintenance and would last for years. The PSP would be kept clean by a volunteer crew of park stewards led by HV Skateboard Shop. We would patrol the park on a regular basis to keep the park litter-free and instill a strong sense of respect for the park with its new users.
A Skatepark in Sweden: The Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza Skatepark would feature simple street-oriented obstacles such as these shown above
What is the Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza Project?
The Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza (PSP) is a campaign to reinvigorate the aging Poughkeepsie Sculpture Park located at the intersection of Main and Bridge Streets in the City of Poughkeepsie by utilizing the space around the old sculptures to create opportunites for active recreational action sports activities such as skateboarding as well as new opportunities for artistic expression such as painting, sculpture and public performance. Combining both "skateboarding"and "art" in downtown Poughkeepsie in this space suggests the name "Poughkeepsie Skart Plaza" (PSP).
Grass Stairs in Sweden
The initial idea is to build "skate paths" around the existing sculptures - along these sidewalks would be obstacles such as ledges, benches, rails, stairs, manual pads and other unique obstacles out of concrete and other durable materials such as brick and asphalt. Also included in the design could be a dual-purpose stage, which would function both as an obstacle and an actual stage for performances.
Small Stairs & Steps: Sweden again
What would this project do for the Lower Main Street neighborhood and the city of Poughkeepsie?
The PSP would reenergize an under-utilized, long-dormant city park,provide both city and suburban youth with a popular and modern athletic facility, and bring new youthful energy to the neighborhood. Another benefit of this project would be economic: dozens of daily users and their friends and families bringing their wallets to lower Main Street will provide a welcome stimulus to existing retail, restaurant, and other businesses as well as provide the impetus to attract NEW business development and foot traffic from inside and outside the city to the neighborhood.
Krooked Grind in Sweden
Interesting Hip: Sweden again
How much would this project cost, and who would pay for it?
The PSP project could be constructed in phases if necessary, and the initial phase could be completed for as little as $50,000. Total cost might be three or four times that number, but remains to be seen. This project would initially be supported by private fundraising efforts, but would certainly welcome any public grants or monies to assist in its completion.
Doesn't the city already have a skatepark at Waryas Park?
The Skatepark at Waryas Park opened @ 2002 and is operated by the Dutchess County YMCA. It is only open on a part-time seasonal basis, is supervised, and charges an admission fee for both city residents and non-residents. At six years of age, it has certainly served its purpose and the city has certainly got its money's worth out of the park.
However, the Waryas Skatepark design is very dated (read: unexciting), its limited hours of operation actually encourage many users to hop the fence and use the park when it is closed, and its isolated location in the far corner of Waryas Park does not contribute to the economic stimulus of the Main Street area.
The design of the PSP would be very modern and exciting, based on the needs and desires of active skateboarders who are looking for more-challenging terrain, and would attract more users, especially the many users who simply do not use the Waryas park because they are not interested by it.
NOTE: The campaign for the PSP is not advocating for the closure of the Waryas Skatepark. The Waryas Skatepark would continue to offer a skateboarding experience for novices and intermediate users, with supervision provided for those parents who desire to leave their child in an attended skateboarding environment. The PSP would complement this existing park by providing a modern upgrade.
How would the PSP be operated and maintained? What about liability?
The PSP would be a free park, open to all users regardless of their economic situation. Operated in the same manner as the city's numerous basketball courts, users would use the park at their own risk and would be held responsible to follow all posted rules. Liability would presumably fall under the same categories as the city's existing basketball courts and playgrounds. Since other upstate cities such as Binghamton, Elmira, and Ithaca have owned and operated free public concrete skateparks for nearly a decade without incident, Poughkeepsie should be able to do the same. Its location on Main Street makes it highly visible and easy to patrol by the Poughkeepsie Police. This factor alone would make it easy to prevent unwanted activities in the park.
Constructed from concrete, the PSP would rarely need physical maintenance and would last for years. The PSP would be kept clean by a volunteer crew of park stewards led by HV Skateboard Shop. We would patrol the park on a regular basis to keep the park litter-free and instill a strong sense of respect for the park with its new users.
