Cities Invest in Skateparks as Public Infrastructure

Skateparks are increasingly funded and designed as standard public infrastructure rather than an afterthought.Parks departments that once treated skateboarding as a nuisance to be managed now commission professional skatepark designers for the same reason they'd hire a landscape architect for a playground. Well-designed concrete parks have been shown to actually reduce skateboarding on nearby sidewalks and stairs, since riders prefer a purpose-built space. With skateboarding now an Olympic sport, several cities cite the visibility boost as part of the case for new public investment.