Thanks to forward-thinking City officials and a generous donation from the Disneyland Resort, the City of Anaheim is adding two skateparks to its growing network of facilities dedicated to skateboarding. The skateparks will be located in Anaheim’s western neighborhoods, one at Palm Lane Park and the other at Schweitzer Park.
Pamela Galera, an advocate for youth skateboarding, highlighted the need for more skateparks in a recent Orange County Register article: “There is so much need for this in our community,” said Pamela Galera, principal project planner with the City, citing a 2012 Anaheim Youth Services Assessment study.
“There is a population of youth not enrolled in soccer, baseball or other team sports that needs an outlet,” Galera said, adding that residents asked the city to build more parks.
“What we’ve found is skateboarding is not only a great physical activity that promotes health and combats obesity, but is also an art form,” she said.
Schweitzer Park Skatepark
Our design concept for Schweitzer Park is a synthesis of site conditions, neighborhood demographics, budget and an architectural design aesthetic.
Our design concept for Schweitzer Park is a synthesis of site conditions, neighborhood demographics, budget and an architectural design aesthetic.
- The skatepark footprint is shaped by the site’s physical boundaries and the drip lines of the larger trees. By avoiding hardscape within the drip lines we preserve the integrity of the trees. The trees provide natural shade and maintain an inviting atmosphere.
- Buffer areas between the skatepark and the site’s existing walkways and infrastructure are a key focus and help preserve the safety of the surrounding environment. In addition to these buffers, the skatepark’s flow patterns strategically direct traffic away from the entrance and walkway to the south.
- The skatepark terrain itself is shaped by the site’s natural topography which slopes gradually from east to west. Working with the site’s natural contours is the “green” approach and also eliminates the cost and time involved with importing fill material.
- The design features a well-rounded mix of street and transition-style elements/terrain. They are subtle in height and difficulty level, designed primarily for the beginner-intermediate skateboarders who live within the vicinity of the park. While an advanced skateboarder could still enjoy themselves here, the design is not intended to draw professional-level talent from throughout Orange County.
- The skatepark will be constructed by Spohn Ranch with cast-in-place concrete and galvanized steel grind rails, coping and edge protection – ensuring long-term durability.
Palm Lane Park Skatepark
Our preliminary concept for Palm Lane Park is a synthesis of site conditions, neighborhood demographics, budget and a tribute to Anaheim’s agricultural heritage.
Our preliminary concept for Palm Lane Park is a synthesis of site conditions, neighborhood demographics, budget and a tribute to Anaheim’s agricultural heritage.
- Siting the skatepark within the park required thorough analysis. For the following reasons, we ultimately settled on a linear footprint in the open grassy area:
- Avoid drip lines of existing trees
Create a buffer area between skatepark and existing concrete sidewalk to avoid runaway boards hitting parents and school children. - Keep the skatepark as far south as possible to maintain visibility into the site from Palais Road
- Construction access
- Avoid drip lines of existing trees
- Unlike Schweitzer Park, this site is relatively flat. A flat skatepark clearly won’t keep skateboarders engaged for very long, so this design proposes building up the north end of the park with 2-4’ of structural fill material. The drop will be managed with gradual berms and turndown walls.
- The design features a well-rounded mix of street and transition-style elements/terrain. They are subtle in height and difficulty level, designed primarily for the beginner-intermediate skateboarders who live within the vicinity of the park. While an advanced skateboarder could still enjoy themselves here, the design is not intended to draw professional-level talent from throughout Orange County.
- One of the design’s signature elements is a pair of embankments shaped like oranges – paying tribute to Anaheim’s agriculture roots. The sculptural nature of the elements will make for a unique photo/video backdrop, while providing neighborhood youth with a sense of local pride.
- The skatepark will be constructed by Spohn Ranch with cast-in-place concrete and galvanized steel grind rails, coping and edge protection – ensuring long-term durability.
The skatepark builds will be staggered slightly, but both spaces are expected to complete in early fall.
Check out our recent Orange County skatepark in Stanton, CA.
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