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Outdoor skateparks can only be used during daylight hours and in good weather. 

This highlights our urgent need for an indoor skatepark facility in Akron, Ohio – where our weather conditions are typically less than favorable for participating in outdoor activities for more than half the year. This would allow skateboarders to use the skatepark year-round! 

At The Carver Society, our primary mission and overall goal, first and foremost, is generating awareness and raising funds to establish an indoor skatepark facility for the local community to have a safe, quality environment to skate year-round, especially during the inclimate weather conditions we are subjected to here in this region.

This skatepark facility should include, at minimum,  a mini half, various sized/shaped bowls, and a flat/street area with a variety of obstacles such as rails, wedges, quarter pipes, etc., along with an observation area for parents and spectators to view and enjoy. 

We would also like to include a small skate shop within the facility as well, to provide our patrons with sales and service for all their skateboarding needs. 

Future plans and projects to be considered will include:

A Build-A-Board Project to help those without the necessary gear to be able to participate in skateboarding.

A Helmet Safety and Awareness Program, advocating for helmet safety and to be able to provide a quality helmet to those in need.

Additional services to include Equipment Rentals,  Skateboarding Lessons, Birthday Parties and Private Sessions.

Along with skateboards, we are also planning to include the use of scooters, rollerblades, in-line skates, roller-skates, (and BMX, if possible) in the skatepark facility. 

In-Kind donations are also accepted. Please contact us for more information. 

THE BENEFITS OF SKATEBOARDING AND SKATEPARKS ON OUR CITIES & COMMUNITIES

Why cities & communities should support skateboarding and indoor public skateparks  
Young people need to feel like they are recognized (and appreciated) in their communities. In too many places, skateboarders get the wrong message and public image from local authorities who limit or outlaw skateboarding and ignore its inherent (health- and self-empowerment) benefits for the skateboarders and communities around skateparks. Every open skatepark and public place supports hundreds of kids that may otherwise have nowhere (safe) to go. 

Young people need things to do and places where they are free to be themselves within our cities and suburbs — this needs to include not only facilities and public areas that cater to more traditional sports and activities, but also those that provide for skateboarding as a popular and healthy form of recreational and social activity. While skateparks with high visibility and ample community interaction are healthier environments, skateparks in challenging locations can often serve to activate an otherwise underutilized space. 

Skateboarding encourages Self-Empowerment & (Social) Skills Development 

Because skateboarding can be practiced alone also as a group activity. By experiencing skateboarding together, we are able to build strong interpersonal (community) relationships. Along the way in our journeys to different places and skateparks, we will meet like-minded individuals who share the same passion (and often also the same values) as us. More than a bond in just the training, we develop deep emotional connections with other practitioners that we call friends.   

In spite of all the associated dangers, skateboarding does wonders for the body and mind in the long run. Skaters need to be focused and alert, particularly in a skatepark setting, to maintain their balance and to perform the maneuvers they do. At skateparks, older skaters tend to look after younger skaters. They offer tips, help them out when they fall, and will rise to the occasion when they have the opportunity to set a positive example or mentor a younger skater. A skatepark is a place where skaters get together and enjoy the space, the camaraderie, and the physical thrill of riding.   
 

An open, highly visible location (as most skateparks are) is not the place to bully kids, use drugs, or be a nuisance. Skaters are there for a reason, and are generally very good at policing each other about behavior that interferes with their enjoying the park. Skateparks, where the skaters have trouble with non-skating drug users and delinquents showing up, are typically located in secluded areas, where casual supervision is infrequent or doesn’t exist.   It’s an unfortunate situation, but it’s one that the skaters suffer from, rather than create themselves. It is important that the skatepark is positioned somewhere in the community where there is ample pedestrian traffic. This prevents people from preying on the captive skatepark audience.   
 

A well-built and properly sited skatepark that reflects the needs of the local skaters is a hive of creative, physical activity, a place where kids and adults who enjoy skateboarding come together and are focused on their sport in an inherently positive environment. Public Skateparks encourage and support positive social change in their communities. 

Skateboarding is a sport, an art form, a lifestyle, and a culture which also creates friendships between people from different (social) backgrounds. With more than 100 million (estimated) active skaters, skateboarding is gradually becoming one of the most popular hobbies shared by people around the globe. Contrary to what most parents think, apart from funky clothes, shoes, attitude, and gravity-defying tricks, skateboarding does offer some amazing benefits for the mind and body.   

The best part about this sport is the convenience of practicing it anywhere; it can be performed indoors or outdoors, and in large spaces or small confined areas. Skateboarding brings the people together from different backgrounds and economic statuses.”

Cities & Communities should provide both indoor and outdoor skateparks because: Skateparks reduce illicit behavior 

Skateparks provide a safe environment for youth and adults alike 

Skateparks draw skateboarders away from less appropriate areas 

Skateboarding offers significant physical health benefits

Skateboarding has significant mental health benefits  

Skateboarding teaches Commitment 

Skateboarding teaches Responsibility 

Skateboarding encourages Bravery 

Skateboarding encourages Confidence 

Skateboarding encourages Social Skills And Friendships 

Skateboarding helps with Stress Relief 

Skateboarding improves Overall Health 

Skateboarding improves Coordination and Balance 

Skateboarding teaches Determination   

Skateboarding and public Skateparks should be supported, because of the pro-social & community benefits — highlighting the value of open spaces in fostering the development of young peoples’ social skills, self-esteem, cooperation and respect for self and others. 

A successful and inclusive city and/or community supports public spaces that encourage interaction, spaces that enable them to celebrate and share common interests. The growing culture of skateboarding has made a huge impact on communities and continues to grow!   

 
Skateparks are a win-win for cities and their communities. Skateparks promote an active lifestyle, no matter the age. Well-designed skateparks can even provide security & economic benefits. Providing an indoor skatepark or public place will allow citizens to thrive in a positive environment dedicated together with economic benefits for their communities. 

 Source: Daniel Gluche Sep 5, 2019 https://medium.com/@daniel_stories/why-cities-communities-should-support-skateboarding-and-public-skateparks-6e23ba5da3fb