Ministry of Sports presents the first guide to building skateparks in Poland!

The new guide "Skateparks - from design to maintenance" provides detailed guidance on skatepark construction standards, recommended materials and best practices in design. The publication will help eliminate design mistakes and provide investors and managers with practical advice related to budgeting, maintenance and upkeep of facilities. Following the recommendations in the guide will not only make it easier to obtain funding from the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, but above all will allow the implementation of skateparks that meet the highest standards of quality and safety .

The problem, which became the starting point for the creation of the guide, is the lack of uniform standards and reliable safety control during the construction of skateparks. Failure to bring designs up to standards can lead to serious accidents, resulting in injuries and even endangering the lives of users. These consequences affect not only the injured, but also contractors, investors and managers, who may be held legally and financially liable. In addition, officials implementing investments with public funds risk charges of mismanagement of funds by the community.

It is estimated that about 70% of the facilities put into use have non-compliance with standards, with about 15-20% of them having non-compliance, says Magdalena Berlinska expert on playground safety and CEO of CKPZ.-Failure to meet safety standards during the construction of skateparks and other recreational facilities, as well as the lack of reliable acceptance inspection, can lead to serious consequences. This is because some of the non-compliance with standards can lead to serious injuries and even disability or death. -he emphasizes .

Standards set us certain standards of distances, heights and proportions for various elements, which we must adhere to in order to make the facility as safe as possible, adds skatepark designers from Slo Concept office.- The most common design mistakes are due to a lack of knowledge and experience in riding on such facilities. Technical knowledge alone is not enough, it is necessary to have knowledge from the practical use of such facilities, then such a design will be complete in terms of safety and functionality. There are many details on the facilities themselves that will not draw the attention of a person who does not ride on the skatepark, the experts add.

The guide provides detailed guidelines for the construction of modern skateparks, including construction, surfacing and materials. It suggests how to avoid design mistakes that affect the safety and functionality of the facility. It provides practical advice for investors and managers on budgeting, maintenance and upkeep, as well as valuable tips for architects and designers, helping to create compliant sports facilities.

Reading the guide can, above all, raise the awareness of investors that the design and construction of skateparks is not an easy matter and should not be approached solely from a technical point of view. Equally important is the participation in this process of active users of skateparks, whose experience is crucial in designing a functional facility. -Magdalena Berlinska of CKPZ points out.

It is important that our children and all users have access to safe and modern places for sports, which are rapidly developing in cities. -The designers from Slo Concept conclude. - The guide explains what well-designed skateparks should look like, paying attention to aspects of quality and functionality. A skatepark is a specialized space that requires riding experience and a conscious design approach. Extreme sports, now Olympic, emphasize the need to design facilities at the highest level, taking care of safety and development of future generations , the experts point out.

The publication is available for free download on the Ministry of Sports website.

The execution of the study was entrusted to the Techramps company from Krakow, which has been designing and building skateparks in Poland and abroad for 22 years. To date, it has completed more than 1,500 projects around the world, including in Chile, Norway, Greece, Dubai and Israel. It has TÜV certificates for its skatepark equipment, confirming its quality and safety. Their projects have received numerous awards - in 2015, the skatepark in Olkusz won the title of "Sports Facility of the Year," and in 2023, the skatepark in Brzeszcze received an honorable mention in the "Modernization of the Year & Construction XXI" competition in the "Sports and Recreation Facilities" category.