Maclean Park refresh - have we got it right?

Looks like a lot of collisions waiting to happen

+1 Idea number 3's comment on poor design from Rich - they've already butchered the last three park builds in the region. Skateparks cost a lot to do up and they're only redone every few decades so it would make a lot of sense to spend lots of time getting a final design right before investing in something solid. Ideally, a whole park is cohesive with all parts visible - we see this in long, flowy lines in open spaces filmed overseas whereas I find the skating the recent Rich builds here are conducive to collisions, even with competent skaters around. Features also poorly placed. What might initially be considered safe separations of space can tend to be blind spots/encourages crowding which is a massive safety issue. Bowl looks way too similar to Maidstone and they messed up the extension on that - sad to see the only smaller transitions in confined spaces instead of adding to the flow of the park

The park is not big enough and there is too much transition obstacles (ramps, bowls)

Skateparks in NZ have historically been designed far too small and often leave out basic obstacles like ledges and flat bars. There have been many parks designed and built in MZ recently which is great, however they generally all have a gigantic bowl which in my 25 years of skateboarding, often get left untouched. The park design should get rid of the bowl and replace it with more street obstacles such as ledges, stairs, rails, flat bars, manual pads and banks. If you are going to spend money on a skatepark, please do it right. Rich landscapes has a reputation of building massive bowls and then designing street elements as an after thought. This approach is a massive waste of money. I have had numerous conversations with skateboarders and skate shop owners who all agree. A good skatepark should flow from obstacle to obstacle and this design doesnt look like there is much flow. Talk to the wellington skateboarding association and get pro skateboarder Kevin Francis involved please

Love this layout. I would only note if there is good shading for the parents sitting around the Park? especially when parks packed.

As it gets crazy hot in summer. A few canvas sails would be great situated around the sides of park. As doesn’t look enough when theirs multiple family’s and groups.

Footprint is too large

The design encroaches into green space in the park which is used for gatherings and small events. How will this be mitigated by other areas and then connected to the current pathways.

Stoked

I am impressed by the design and the changes are much more substantial than I imagined. I think the team are doing a great job. One main thing that I would get rid of is the spine in the mini ramp section. I find spines cut down on the fun of the ramp and don't really get used enough to justify building them. Also would love to see a slightly more sessionable bank to ledge feature in the street section or maybe a slappy curb thrown in there maybe on the eastern section. Overall, pretty stoked on the design. Great job Rich Landscapes and KCDC!

Kidney bowl

Overall the design looks really good. I'm just concerned that the bowl is not a kidney shaped bowl. As a skateboarder, It looks like it would be difficult do get back and forth momentum on.

Having raised sections of the bowl stops flow. It is far better to have it sloping or a waterfall. Careful consideration to coping detail...

No raised sections, steepness & coping detail is important. Above is what I would choose, the current design looks like a version of upper hutts flow bowl.

Flow

I love a bowl I can carve for days. I can't see an obvious line in the bowl to keep up momentum (roller skater). Probably just needs trial and error. But I hope flow has been a consideration.

Rolling entry

For some of our kids, it is intimidating to drop in the bowl although they have the ability to carve it. Addin a rolling entry will drastically increase the number of potential users of this great feature of the skate park!

Down Rail (with curve next to Hubba)

Unsure if this is going to be a wide thick rail like the one at the Masterton park. But the down rail should be skinnier than the one which is currently at Masterton. The thick wide rail doesn't work well for Bmx riders.

Spine

It will be good to keep the size of the spine the same as the current one. The one for example at Newlands park is too steep. The current spine at the Paraparaumu park works really well and it is probably one of the best spines to learn on.

Mini ramp for teaching

One thing I'm always looking for as a feature at skateparks is a ramp with a low enough coping for teaching beginner agressive roller skaters to drop in, stall, and jump out. Most minis in the region are slightly too high for beginners so I'm really hoping this mini is at a good beginner height. To spread the joy of skating skate parks we need some features to not be intimidating. I hope this ramp will be inviting for newbies.

Provision of a 2m+ wide, 35deg+ banked section along northern length, on NE corner.

Skaters naturally seek out streetscapes to adapt their skills to, such as stairs, rails and banks. The addition of a banked section to the mini ramp to its NE end would be an amazing way to push riders' runs to new limits such that traditional ramp based tricks (rocks, grinds and smaller arials) are augmented with new and old skool street skating moves such as flips and no-complys, while remaining in a ramp context.

Beginniramp

Great to have a small miniramp in the region, and a little spine is a bonus. Nearest spines are Maidstone - which transitions from the bowl to the street section in a way that's hard to utilise, Newlands, which has a higher facing transition and Waitarere has a wee plastic one.

reputable skatepark builders

the following companies are responsible for some of the best skateparks in the country. https://premiumskatedesigns.co.nz/ https://www.richlandscapes.co.nz/ https://www.instagram.com/acid_nz/?hl=en

Have a plan for ongoing revision and maintenance. When parks aren't fit to skate is when people use them for other, less social, purposes

MacLean park has the potential to be a destination for the region. It would be great to have something to rival/surpas Feilding or Marton

new street section

A new street section would good for people to learn on. it could have banks hubbas rails euro gap or china gap

Lighting - helps extend skating hours in winter months and you can choose to avoid crowds by going late