Millennium Skate Park, Owls Head Park, Brooklyn, NY
Project: Millennium Skate Park in Owls Head Park, Bayridge, NY Employed by: NYC, Department of Parks & Recreation
Construction: September 2000 to September 2001 Construction budget: $830,000 Area: 14,000 SF
Design Goal:
Create NYC, DPR first permanent, purpose built, skate park facility. Accommodate new recreation use into a historically and aesthetically sensitive park. Create a new facility in Owls Head Park without intruding on current park uses.
Design Concepts:
To make the facility blend into and fit the landscape of Owls Head Park. Make as the facility as visually unobtrusive as possible, for the casual park user. Allow for variety of users, skateboarders, bmx bikers, and rollerbladers. Allow for different zones for beginner, intermediate and advanced users. Create a park facility that all user groups can accept and welcome as a new addition to Owls Head Park. Constraints/Challenges: Neighborhood opposition to a new type of recreation; fear of the unknown. Identifying park constituents, not just the end user groups. Working with a park friends group (Friends of Owls Head Park), local businesses (Panda Sports), local skateboarder, bmx and roller blade groups (Five Boro Skate Crew). Site selection: the park was pre-selected by the councilman / DPR. Site geography: topography and storm drainage determined depth of skate park features.
Budget:
Construction budget established based on average nation wide costs multiplied by three for NYC. Public submissions & reviews: submission and approval required from community board, user groups, Friends of Owls Head Park and The NYC Arts Commission. Unknown construction details, contractors, construction costs, liability policies, waivers and facility rules. Construction documents modified to fit funded budget. The Skate Park divided into two areas; a base bid and an add alternate to accommodate budget. Project management with in-house engineering and professional colleagues. Researching unique construction details, material specifications, surface finishes, skate park contractors, construction costs, municipal liability policies and waivers and, facility rules.
Solutions:
Establish a working advising group; meeting with end user groups, Friends groups and local business leaders. Established regular meetings for user and neighborhood input and agreement on the design and impact of the facility. Use a foamcore and clay model to create conceptual design of skate park – a beginner zone of low obstacles, a “street” inspired area, a freeform deep pool for more advanced users and a really deep pool for very advanced skateboarders. These areas were joined by ramps, incorporating and preserving existing park landscape into the overall facility design. Consulting DPR institutional expertise and experienced staff. Presenting with DPR staff at public meetings. Documenting and measuring local skate spots with local skaters. Visiting recommended regional skate parks, documenting activity, use, and construction techniques.
Result: A new unique facility that is well received by the neighborhood, skateboarders, bmx bikers and roller bladders. My mother, and many relatives attended the ribbon cutting in September of 2001. MSP is also cited in many issues of the Daily Plant over the past ten years. MSP was used as the location for a Saturday Night Live “commercial” in 2002. New York Daily News: May 24th, 2011 GNARLIEST SKATE PARK, BRO: Millennium Skate Park, Colonial Road between 68th St. and Wakeman Place, Bay Ridge. It’s a paradise for Tony Hawk wanna-bes. With its concrete bowls, ramps and metal rails, Millennium is Brooklyn’s best and biggest spot for skateboarders, trick Roller-bladers and BMX bikers.
