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FAQs
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What liability risks are associated with an action sports park?
Can I build a skate park over an existing location?
What is site flow?
Can we change our park design once it is installed?
What type of surfacing is used on Woodward® Ramps and Rails?
How is the riding surface attached?
What should I know about maintenance?
How do I begin planning an action sports park?
Can our park be built in several stages or phases?
How can I work within a limited budget?
How noisy will the equipment be?
How easy is it to install?
Can Woodward® Ramps
and Rails be shipped internationally?
What liability risks are associated with an action sports park?
Any community that offers public facilities will face certain liability risks. As an owner/operator of an Action Sports Park you should follow the same basic common-sense risk management efforts that you would use in other facilities such as supervision, signage, a good maintenance program, and appropriate design.
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has produced a Skateboard Safety Sheet - Publication #93, which is available as a PDF document from their web site at
www.cpsc.gov.
For more information about insurance and liability specifically for skate parks, visit
www.eskal8.org or
www.kaboom.org.
ESKAL8 is an initiative that helps community organizations and individuals develop their skatepark project, raise funds and bring together all parties for a dynamic one-day skatepark
build.
KaBOOM! is the longest-running non-profit organization that specializes in linking communities and corporations together to build much-needed, safe and accessible playgrounds, and has helped build more playgrounds than any other service organization, making it the #1 playground facilitator of its kind.
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Can I build a skate park over an existing location?
Many communities, cities, towns, and municipalities have existing locations that are unused or outdated,
such as old parking lots, unused tennis courts, and vacant shopping centers.
Some of the most important considerations when planning to build your park over an existing resource
will be drainage, incline and your choice of
surfacing material. For example, asphalt is not an ideal surface material because it can become soft and malleable in very hot weather, but it is much less costly than pouring an entire area with
concrete.
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What is site flow?
Flow is the movement of the rider from one obstacle to another, allowing them to travel in a path that is natural, appropriate and safe. Good site flow enables riders to “link” tricks and move safely. If a rider cannot safely transition from one obstacle to another, injuries can occur. By
involving
local skaters and bikers in the layout process, a good solution for flow can be established. Bikes, skates, and boards may require slightly different flow patterns so input from riders is essential. Generally, a mix of STREET and TRANSITIONAL style elements can be used together to design a park that allows for safe use by many riders of various skill levels at the same time.
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Can we change our park design once it is installed?
Maximize the use of the entire park by defining different areas to challenge various levels of rider's abilities. Concrete areas such as bowls and steps are very difficult and costly to change. Modular ramps and obstacles can be added
easily to your park's overall design. The modularity of Woodward Ramps and Rails also allows for additional components to be incorporated into existing jump combinations in the future. This flexibility allows your park to grow, adapt, and challenge your riders for long-term excitement with a minimum of financial investment.
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What type of surfacing is used on Woodward® Ramps and Rails?
Woodward Ramps and Rails use only the highest quality and lowest maintenance materials to manufacture our ramps and rails. Our EXCLUSIVE Triple-Layer Surfacing offers the best ride, most noise reduction, and maximum durability of any ramp in the industry. The riding surface is
Skatelite® Pro with a 1/2” HDPE polyethylene acoustical underlay bolted to a 12-gauge, galvanized steel sub-surface making it rock-solid and quiet to ride, and virtually maintenance-free.
Skatelite® Pro is specifically designed to be used as a riding surface on skate park equipment. It is designed to resist moisture and other various weather conditions which can greatly affect the quality and safety of the ride. Because of Woodward® Ramps and
Rails' exclusive Triple-Layer surfacing technique, we are able to offer an outstanding 5-year warranty on the Skatelite® Pro riding surface.
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How is the riding surface attached?
Woodward Ramps and Rails uses tamper-resistant, bolt-through connections with lock-nuts on the back, to attach our Triple-Layer Surfacing for added safety and quality. Standard screws have a tendency to back out or shear off over a period of time due to the vibrations and stress that the ramps endure with normal daily use. Bolt-through connections do not back out over time, totally eliminating this problem. This gives a safer ride as well as much lower maintenance for park owners.
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What should I know about maintenance?
Playworld System's products are designed and manufactured with only the highest quality materials resulting in very low maintenance costs to you. However, you should establish and follow a good routine maintenance and inspection program, to ensure safety and minimize liability. This can be done easily by performing a "walk-through" with regular inspections. Document and record inspections and any maintenance performed. Look for possible safety hazards such as loose connections. Any broken or damaged areas should be repaired immediately or closed until the repair can be made. Also, keep the park clean and free from debris.
We provide a customized maintenance packet with each Woodward Ramps and Rails order. Our maintenance program includes inspection instructions and a detailed inspection form to document your procedures, thus reducing your liability and saving money on costly repairs.
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How do I begin planning an action sports park?
It all begins with your community. The skateboarders, BMX riders and in-line skaters will undoubtedly be the ones asking for a safe place to ride and express themselves. Community officials and leaders are generally looking for a way to keep skateboarders out of traffic and off sidewalks and public buildings. Understanding the needs of each other and the community is the first step. Once a general understanding is met you should contact a professional skate park consultant or designer such as an Authorized Woodward Ramps and Rails Consultant. A knowledgeable professional can assist you with all of the aspects of the park, from conceptual layouts and durable product, through installation and risk management issues.
By involving the entire community throughout the process, it guarantees that your action sports park will be a facility that will be used and appreciated by both the athletes who ride there and adults who helped to make it happen.
Get started today by contacting your local Woodward Ramps and Rails Representative.
 Download a copy of our Planning a Skate Park Guide to help walk you through some of the steps in planning your new skate park facility.
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Can our park be built in several stages or phases?
Woodward Ramps and Rails are designed as modular components and pieces, allowing them to be configured in "highly unlimited" ways. This innovative modularity allows you to create a PHASED action sports park. This phasing approach will allow you to create a larger and more complete skate park to accommodate the growth and needs of your skaters and riders as a long-term solution for your community.
Here is how phasing works:
1. Develop an overall budget and work with your skate park consultant to design a site layout.
2. Develop a plan to achieve your overall layout in 2-5 years.
3. Install each phase as your plan and/or budget permits.
By phasing your skate park you are able to build a larger and more complete park while keeping the layout fresh,
new and challenging for all action park
users.
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How can I work within a limited budget?
Playworld Systems offers several ways to work within budget requirements.
1. "Skate Spots" are small "street skating"
areas. Use genuine Woodward®
Ramps and Rails to create small, affordable skate
areas just like the "real world" locations that your
skaters want. Arrange our skateable picnic tables
and bench, wedges, quarterpipes, grind rails and
ledges in ways that simulate the handicap ramps,
loading docks, planters and park benches that your
skaters are grinding. You might just create the
hottest "Skate Spot" in town!
2. Leasing Program - We can develop a leasing program that will allow you to create a larger park right from the very beginning. We can develop a payment plan that will easily meet your needs and cash flow. The best part is, your entire skate park can be installed at once and you can budget your expenses out over time.
3. Community Build - Woodward Ramps and Rails are designed to be assembled and installed on site. Our detailed installation instructions and controlled manufacturing process make it ideal for community volunteers to install your new skate park. With some professional supervision, your community can save as much as 30% by installing the skate park components yourselves. This is a great opportunity to build community pride as well as bringing together the in-line skaters, BMX riders and skateboarders who will be using the new facility.
4. Phasing - Phase your park in several stages. This allows you to develop your park over a period of years, keeping it fresh, challenging and within budget.
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How noisy will the equipment be?
Woodward Ramps & Rails' triple-layer design provides a 12-gauge sheet of galvanized steel covered by 1/2" non-foamed high-density polyethylene sheeting with 1/4"
Skatelite® Pro skate surface for superior sound dampening. Primarily, the "noise" from a Woodward Ramps & Rails Skate Park is similar to that from any public use recreational area such as open-air basketball courts or the community swimming pool. Because of our triple-layer design, Woodward Ramps & Rails are the quietest in the industry, unlike traditional all-steel ramps with a steel skate surface, which tend to sound like giant steel drums when used.
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How easy is it to install?
Woodward Ramps & Rails can be installed by Authorized Representative's installation crew. However, if a community wants to save the installation expense and build "sweat" equity in its skate park, local skaters and community members can install the park themselves with supervision from your representative. Our skate parks are precision manufactured to the customer's specifications. Because of our exacting detail during manufacturing, the installation process does not require any special skills, such as welding or carpentry like many of our competitors' products do. If you can turn a wrench, you can help to build a Woodward Ramps and Rails skate park.
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Can
Woodward Ramps and Rails be shipped internationally?
Woodward Ramps & Rails are shipped around the globe. We have built parks in the Far East, Middle East, Latin America, and Europe. Customized packaging keeps the equipment safe during transit. Our Customer Care Representatives can answer all your international shipping questions.
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