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Toy Skateparks Another area that has been chewing on me is the infiltration of playground equipment companies scarfing up on the new target market, skateboarding. They suddenly have termed themselves park builders. Some have nonprofit status which I don't understand as they are attatched to big marketing companies and seem to have money up the you know what. They appear everwhere now , all the trade shows, they sponsor some skaters, hold contests, have all day "park building" parties, good for them. But the big problem is they are pushing their presence on the skateboarding and skate park industry. They are getting involved with cities all over now that skateboarding is more accepted, and coming up with their cheap modules, assembling them in one day. I'm sure cities love this, they get off cheap and then say to the skateboarders who have raised money, lobbied, petitioned, and went through living hell for many years to get their permanent cement parks built, there's your park now shut up. These modules are a joke. We want real parks, cement ponds as the Clampets use to say. Have you ever seen one of these "skateparks?" I sent Julio out to skate one and he said he almost killed himself. They are too small for tricks, they are hot, slicker than snot, and some are purple. We say to these jungle gym people, go away. Market your cute product alongside your swing sets and slides, or maybe set them up as rentals for birthday parties like those big ball bouncy things you can rent. But don't consider yourselves park builders or even as part of the industry and let the real skatepark non-profits like Skaters for Public Skateparks work with the the cities. Real skaters need and deserve real skateparks so please don't ask Real Skate to hop on your marketing scheme. —Clarkie If you would like to post a comment send an e-mail to feedback(at)realskate.com Letter to Real Skate - from one of "them" 9/10/03 An Open
Letter to Andy Macdonald
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