Jaicyea Smith

The Intrinsic Value of Co-Designing Skateparks

The exclusion of skateboarders from skatepark planning, the rejection of skaters from public space and the lack of inclusive co-design methods leads to poorly designed and neglected skateparks. It is hypothesized that local skateboarders are the experts in creating sustainable skatepark design yet they are usually the last group to be consulted on these developments. Indeed, unlike every major city in Canada, Toronto does not even have a permanent indoor skatepark facility in the downtown core. After months of civil activism which prompted a city-wide Skatepark Study Report, The City of Toronto made a financial commitment in 2016 to address the need for an indoor skatepark. This emancipatory research study was created in response to that and uses co-design methods to explore the value of a DIY skatepark. Researchers engaged local skateboarders in conversations and activities around all aspects of skatepark creation. The study aims to show that skaters are the best experts to consult regarding the design, development and ongoing maintenance of skateparks. This co-design framework encourages inclusive, sustainable design principles that incorporate creative and artistic skateable obstacles into skatepark design. http://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/2803/