discussions about skating, skateparks, etc.

[spellchecker]

so as not to taint or clog up the other thread, i wanted to address a couple of points here instead.

That's exactly my point' date=' once you count out the people who won't use a skate park on principle (and yes, there will be some people...you can't expect something based on anti-authority to suddenly all comply - especially once they get banned from doing risky things at the park, etc) - how many people are left that will use the skatepark and use it on a regular basis? I just don't think the demand is there - people will want different things out of the park, if it's not good enough they'll go back to the street, etc etc. It might be ridiculously busy for the honeymoon period, but after that, I reckon any decent facility would struggle to cope up here. Of course, the council could subsidise it - but at the end of the day, are they going to invest in anything that could be viewed as "a waste of money"?

[/quote']

why do you think skating is based on anti-authority? it's just a frickin' sporting activity. of course some skaters have attitudes about one thing or another, some may be "anti authority" but others (probably most) are not. it's no different from a sport like football, there's always a handful of pricks about, but it is a sport none the less. with that in mind, it has legitimate grounds for demanding adequate facilities. i pay council tax, why am i not entitled to have my sport catered for? there are facilities for almost every other kind of sport.

as for your estimation of costs/revenue .... ??!?!?!??????!?

if you've ever been to a skatepark or seen how one is run... the factory in dundee is a pretty good example.... then you would know that it is based on sessions - you pay to skate for 2 hours, or maybe 3, or four. of course you can usually buy day passes as well.

taking that into consideration, it is normal to be charged around 4 per session. i've been to the factory in dundee on weekdays between 2-6pm, and there's always been around 20-30 people for each session. i'd expect weekends are a hell of a lot busier. so even if you just had 5 sessions a day and had 30 customers at each, you are talking about 5 x (30 x 4) which is about 600 a day, without too much effort.

i'm glad they built the park at the westburn, because it's a reasonably safe place for skaters to congregate. it's worth noting that street skating and skating free outdoor parks are very different from skating indoor pay-for places. skating indoors in a dedicated park is usually a much more intense experience because the equipment is better, time is limited, and usually everyone is buzzing with adrenaline anyway. street skating and outdoor skatepark skating has a bit more of a socialising element to it.

you don't sound, look or talk like a skater, so excuse me for being presumptious if i guess that you are not a skateboarder. taking that into account, how is it that you think you can estimate the demand for something like this? do you base your theory on how many skaters you see around town? or how many people you see in town looking like skaters? or the annual sales results for companies like vans and DC?? i sure as fuck don't know where you are getting it from.

I don't think there's a problem either' date=' let them keep continuing to use the BT car park for all I really care.[/quote']

judging from that comment and all your others, it seems you aren't interested in skateboarding, but further, that for some reason you don't want them to have all year round facilities. i can't think why this is the case. so what's the point in spouting all this rubbish about things you aren't well informed about?

according to the council, the new "TRANSITION SKATEPARK AND EXTREME SPORTS CENTRE" will have:

- 18,000 sq ft indoor skateboard/BMX park

Dramatic climbing and Adventure Centre

Healthy eating caf - with views to skatepark, climbing and out to sea

Kids recreation area - pool tables, video, chill out area, video editing, DJ equipment, photography, internet room,

Two equipped band practice studios

Visitor centre and mini-cinema profiling extreme sports opportunities

Meeting/training facilities

Four extreme sports retail units

read more here:

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acc_data/news%20item/ppu_news_050719b.asp

it both surprises and relieves me that there are people in the council that are less backwards than you, Cloud.

[Rachie]

Well addressed and answered!

[Skubbs]

cough *ghetto* cough

[des]

i totally agree with spellchecker

i dont think skaters on a whole have bad attitudes towards anyone really the problem lies i reckon with poeple who dont skate that think skaters are vandels etc and i bet it costs more money clearing up graffiti and drunk twats on a weekend than it does putting up them fuckin metal bars at broad street for example.

a good indoor park would be sweet as for the winter but you cant beat just going out on the street and shreadin but at least it would give skaters another place to go on bad days and nights

the guy that died at bt ,he was probarly the first guy to die from there so i dont see why it should stop the security or who ever stopping folk skating there its one of the only places that hasnt been shut down for us (r.i.p by the way)

and i think cloud just likes to put his 2p in where ever possible even if he hasnt got a clue

i say let people skate where they want but also give them some options not just stick them in to one spot and forget about them cause we are not going away

[framheim]

that park sounds like it's going to be the kind of thing that people everywhere else will be jealous of. bout time aberdeen city council got something not only right but were ahead of the game and outdid themselves. it sounds frickin awesome. a perfect place for the young uns to learn all kinds of great skills which will not only benefit the music scene but aberdeen in general.

i'm not a skater but i've been saying for years that aberdeen needed a proper indoor skatepark, not just for aberdeen but as a hub for the whole of aberdeenshire as well. it's a more relevant and accessible sport than many of the more publiscised and funded sports in the area and should be supported by the community not demonised and pushed away. skating isn't anti-authority but i guess there are people who think that as they constantly get moved on and people are bound to get annoyed by that(both skaters, police and residents), proper facilities can fix this to a degree.

[keith_moon]

Really good progress....

Before i start i would like to thank spell checker for opening this new thread, good work man.

Firstly one good piece of news is that the Press and Jounral has acknoledged that the accident was in no way the skaters fault and that it was just an unfortunate coincidence.

Secondly im really glad to see such positive feed back from all you guys and just to remind you all to private message me if you are interested in helping the aberdeen skate scene or skatepark creation process. Or you can e-mail me at rubbits_2001@hotmail.com.

To answer a few points that have been made in terms of cost and so on one thing i would like to mention is that the reason it is going to cost so much money is because it is so much more than just a skatepark as mentioned in the other thread. An outdoor park on its own that can be used for free (such as the one in Perth) only cost the council down there 250, 000 and that is quite simply one of the best skateparks i have ever been to. This is why i have to emphasise the importance of getting this park right and not wasting more money on something that will yet again fail to meet expectations. If we do have a world class skate and extreme sports facility here then that will definately draw crowds since scotland has only got about 2 or 3 indoor parks whcih as you all know from the weather is not anywhere near enough to support scotlands skate scene. In response to clouds disbelief of the amount of support for this project go to any skating event in scotland and you wont be able to move from the number of people at the venue, i know cos ive been to enough (for example the kemnay opening day).

Basically what we need to do to keep things rolling is support skateboarding in aberdeen and im trying to get something together as a representative of aberdeen street skaters to help keep skateboarding afloat from this horrible incident. One thing that i have come to understand about talking to guys who knew sean today is that even he would have not wanted this to put a stop to aberdeens skate scene. Thankfully authorities such as the press and journal are beggining to support us but i am just being on the safe side in case something were to happen or be done in relation to this incident.

Please e-mail me your support and i will get back to you with information direct from the council.

Ill be in touch,

for sean and skate culture

Jon

[keith_moon]

Just also to say as i have been doing recently in an after thought i think that spell checker sums up the situation in the best way i could have ever hoped for. How long have you been skating anyway and will i have seen you around?

Jon

[Noir]

so as not to taint or clog up the other thread' date=' i wanted to address a couple of points here instead.[/quote']

Good call.

[spellchecker]

Just also to say as i have been doing recently in an after thought i think that spell checker sums up the situation in the best way i could have ever hoped for. How long have you been skating anyway and will i have seen you around?

Jon

i first started skating in 1989!

i'm sometimes up at the westburn with my brother steve, who persistently feels the need to ollie 4ft fences, bollards, etc. bastard. or westhill, skating the ramp.

[Rhiannon]

Nice one for opening a new thread

I considered diong it but wasn't sure if it'd get closed or not

Thanks x

[keith_moon]

Gone away for a while...

Hey everyone, sorry for not adding anything to this convo for a while but i have just moved back down to dundee for the start of uni again. Just to say thanks again everyone for your support of skating during these difficult times and hope to see you all round. If youre coming down to dundee send us a pm.

See you all as soon as possible.

Jon

[Chewbacca]

hi folks,i live in ellon and im a skateboarder/bmx'er.i just want to say that the council have done fuck all for a decent facilty in ellon.even places like Pitmedden and Tarves have a park,we in ellon have been thriving for one for years and what do we get?a cheap ass ghetto mini ramp that no-one uses due to it usually being over run with Neds,drug dealers and what not,sure the park in pitmedden isnt great but its still better than the whole of ellon.But il hopefully be driving soon anyway so i can get the fuck away from this shit hole,i totally cant wait for this new Sports comlex thingy mibob,gonna be a few years yet but it should hopefully be worth the wait.peace out.

[Rob Karloff]

For all the people involved with the Transition Extreme Sports project, I'm glad to read here that the plans for an extreme centre down the beach are being received very positively. I'd also point out that the facilities are not as specific as some people seem to have the impression they are, there are facilities for skaters, bladers, BMXers, rock-climbers, abseilers... This is not just for the skating community! The plans also include a number of retail outlets to cater for various extreme sports needs, and other related facilities. I believe it is also intended that the centre will accomodate those participating in activities on the beach itself, such as the surfers, windsurfers and para-sailers.

The only thing that surprises me is that so many are voicing their full support for the project, yet they decided not to attend the fundraising gig at the Lemon Tree a few months back. The support on the night largely came down to the regular fans of the bands involved, and several people I can think of who are into just the kind of sports this centre aims to support did not attend, and in some cases rathered spend their evening in another venue. I seem to remember someone basically saying to me that they didn't attend the fundraiser because they didn't like the bands on the bill. Now, to me that seems to be highly short-sighted and very churlish... Personally I'd go to a Simply Red concert if I knew my attendance and ticket money would go to such a project!

Please visit the Transition Extreme Sports website and lend both your voices and money to ensure the centres success!