Rockaway Beach 92nd Street Skate Park
A much-loved but deteriorated skate park at the Rockaway boardwalk was scheduled for reconstruction with a design by QRP and our skate park sub-consultants before Hurricane Sandy destroyed the boardwalk and entire shorefront. In the aftermath of the storm the skate park was put on hold while the boardwalk was rebuilt. That work created an elevated concrete boardwalk with new access ramps to the street, and the FEMA funding for Sandy Reconstruction projects allowed the new skate park to expand beyond its original footprint to create a 17,500 sf park in the space between the new curving boardwalk access ramps.
Our team reached out to the local skate community for their input, and the response was for a skate park inspired by its beachfront location, with “transition style” spaces that cater to continuous flow riding for skateboarding, rollerblading and BMX bikes. A long snake run, a mini-ramp section with spine, bowled corners, hips, rolled edges, and an extension form the main elements of this surf-style area, while “street” elements – steps, rails and grind ledges offer a more urban style for riders of all skill levels.
The free-form flow course is constructed from poured-in-place concrete with steel edges on the grind features for BMX protection. As this is an unsupervised facility, all elements are less than three feet high to meet NYC Parks requirements. The team prepared specifications for metal fabrications, concrete formwork, shotcrete and poured in place concrete designed for smooth riding with minimal joints. The well-detailed documents resulted in construction being completed on time despite Covid-19 shutdowns during the construction period.
A challenge at this site included reusing the existing subsurface storm drainage infiltration system which required careful location of new features and drainage structures. A planted bioswale was added at one edge of the skate park area and planted with shade trees and seashore tolerant grasses to reduce the runoff into the existing drainage system. The skate park was designed to withstand future flooding and sand deposits through careful grading that allows all areas to drain freely with no “bathtub” areas where water or sand could pond up.
The seashore location also required the use of very durable materials and for this reason all metal elements were finished as galvanized only without a painted finish to provide maximum corrosion resistance, and salt tolerant shrubs are planted at the plaza and entrance areas. New planting has made the park greener, with shade trees and coastal plantings that connect the park to the dunes behind the reconstructed boardwalk. The state-of-the-art park now reflects the surf culture of the Rockaways and has become a popular skate park for all ages from veterans to young skaters.
Location
Queens, NY
Client
NYC Parks
Role
Prime Consultant
Team
SITE Design Group
McLaren Engineers
