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Audit of Ottawa Skateboard Parks

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the existing skateboard park infrastructure within Ottawa and provide recommendations to the municipal government for improving these facilities with respect to park quality, programming, access to transportation, and user engagement. 

The following overarching questions provided the basis for this evaluation: 

  1. Design and Build: Are these parks well designed and built? 
  2. Impact: Are these parks being used by the community groups they serve? 
  3. Programming: Are these facilities being leveraged by the City of Ottawa? 
  4. Life Cycle: What state are these parks in and what kind of upgrades or maintenance do they need to serve the community? 

Data for this evaluation was collected from the summer of 2018 to the fall of 2019. A direct survey of all municipal skateboard parks was conducted by a panel of skateboarders. This survey included site visits, facility testing, face-to-face user feedback, and interactions through social media platforms and email. 

This evaluation of Ottawa’s existing skateboard park infrastructure provides a snapshot of the current facilities in the city of Ottawa. Having a clear picture of the situation in this community can support a framework for building better skateboard parks and programming in the future. 

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