The Skatepark Foundation - How to Get a Skatepark

Proving a local need for your park will be key to the success of your skatepark project. You are unlikely to be awarded money for your skatepark project if you cannot provide documented proof that it is needed by your community.

A petition may be the deciding factor in convincing your local council to support your project. It will be of vital importance in future funding applications for money to pay your new park.

When you discuss your project with your local authority (Parish, Town or City Council), you are most likely going to need you to show that there is significant local support for the skatepark project. If your council are going to allocate your project land on which to build the new park, council staff time and hopefully allocate money towards building it, then they are going to need to see documented evidence showing that local people support the need for a new skatepark.

USE A RESPECTED PETITION WEBSITE

A petition, using a respected website llike change.org or 38degrees.org.uk, is a fantastic way to prove that there is local support for a new skatepark. It's easy to do and only takes a few minutes.

By using a petition website, anyone signing your petition will have to provide their address. If your council question the level of local support for your project, you can show them the petition. They will see documented evidence of local support - and you have then taken a very important step forward in your project.

You might be thinking that Facebook likes will be enough. Yes they will help, but the problem with likes is that there is no way to prove that they are likes from the local supporters that really matter.

ALSO CREATE A PAPER VERSION OF YOUR PETITION

We also recommend that you start a paper version of your petition. This way, you can pass copies around local schools, have a copy in your local skateshop, library, youth centre, community centre and anywhere you might be able to get signatures for your project. You can type up this paper version using Microsoft Word or any word processing software. Use the same text as your online version.

The paper version will help because there will be many times when you are chatting face to face with someone telling them about your project and explaining the benefits. This is the perfect time to show them the hard copy version of the petition and ask them to sign it right there and then. Yes you could ask them to go online later but there is always the chance that they don't remember to do it.

START A PETITION BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE

We recommend you start this petition before you do anything else, so that you can get everyone you talk to about your project to sign it. You don’t want to be in a position months down the line where you have to a chase up all the people you've spoken to previously in order to get them to sign it.

Just by starting the petition it will show your Council that you mean business, it will show that you are serious. You’ll increase the number of signatures as you create awareness, and you’ll continue to get more signatures up until the point where you have a site, a supplier, a design and the money to build it.

HOW WILL A PETITION HELP US GET MONEY FOR OUR PARK?

You are unlikely to be awarded money for your skatepark project if you cannot provide documented proof that it is needed by your community. When you apply to funding bodies such as the National Lottery, for money to build your park, you can submit your petition as part of your application.

Far more community projects will submit applications for money, than money is available. You need to make your application as strong as possible. If you do not provide sufficient evidence of local support, then your application will not be marked as highly as others, and you reduce your chances of receiving funding. When applying for funding, you need to do every single thing that you can to make the case for your project receiving funding stronger than the applications from other groups.

WHAT WORDING SHOULD WE USE FOR OUR PETITION

Something like this. Short and to the point. It explains what you want to do and why it is a good idea, in a few sentences. By all means write your own in you prefer. Make sure it clearly states what the petition is for and say some words about why a new skatepark is a good idea and how it will benefit your community.

This petition is to show support and to prove that there is a genuine local need for a concrete skatepark in ‘your Town's name here’.

The new skatepark will be a free-to-use, safe, inclusive and family orientated sports facility for users of all ages. Professionally designed constructed by a company selected by the 'Your project's name here' with design input from local skatepark users.

Skateparks are proven to increase health, well-being, community cohesion whilst reducing social exclusion and anti-social behaviour. The skatepark will not only benefit skatepark users, it will enhance the town and will be an asset to the whole community.

Share the link to your petition on Facebook page and other social media accounts. Take your paper version and a clipboard, walk around your community, school, college and talk to as many people as you can about your project, and ask them to sign it. You'll soon gain a few hundred signatures, and with more time and work, you'll be able to get over 1,000 or more depending on the size of your community.

You’ll increase the number of signatures as you create awareness, and you’ll should continue work hard to get more signatures up until the point where you have a site, a supplier, a design and the money to build it.