Reversing the isolation and inadequacies of skateparks: designing to successfully integrate skateboarding into downtown Luray, Virginia

Skateboarding has become the fastest rising social sport in America. Historically, this sport tends to attract a stereotyped grungy, nomadic, pack-oriented crowd that thrives off of the buzz of performing tricks in urban spaces. Unfortunately, this self-expressive crowd, as well as the destructive nature of the sport, has caused much of the general public to form negative opinions of skateboarding. Because of this, in combination with recent trends to green up cities and to accommodate for the sports increasing popularity, skateboarding (both physically and socially) is being forced to the outskirts of communities where poorly-built, less accessible, and environmentally insensitive skateparks are taking the place of socially rich urban skating environments. This thesis investigates the social/environmental issues associated with isolated and inadequate skateparks and the implications they may have on the future of the sport. Insight gained is applied to a skatepark design for my hometown of Luray, Virginia.