Skatepark Atmosphere[/b]
Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, every skatepark you go to has a different atmosphere to it. No, I’m not literally talking about the gaseous envelope surrounding the park, but the vibes you feel when skating the park.
Let’s face it. With every skatepark being located somewhere else around the world, expect nothing less than a different vibe to the last park you went to. There’s many things that contribute to making a skatepark atmosphere.
The skatepark itself. There’s not a single skatepark that is exactly the same. In size, shape, or color. There just isn’t. From the numerous skateparks I’ve been too, and just from observing, I can conclude there tends to be a more positive atmosphere to a skatepark that is “better” than the other. Better in that there’s more obstacles, better ground, smoother rails, perfect transition, etc. The works. Who would be happy with rusted metal, warped wood, or pebble ground? Not me. In short, the better the skatepark, the happier the skater.
The skate scene! The more skaters, the better the chance of meeting new people, making new friendships, and progressing faster. All positive things. I’ve seen, and heard about a lot of people quitting because there just wasn’t anyone to skate with. Whether at the park, or just in general. Unless you truly are passionate about skateboarding, having not many people to skate with can really bring ya down.
But the biggest, and most important is the skater. When it comes down to it, it’s really the skater that brings the vibe to the park. It’s up to the skater to make the best of things whether their park sucks, or there’s no one to skate with. The attitude, and mindset you bring when you step into your park affects everything, and everyone. If you’re positive, others usually tend to catch on. I’m pretty much living proof, haha. After skating my local park for so long, and with the friends I’ve made over the years, I went from an anti-social skater who would only skate alone, to a guy that talks to just about everyone he sees at the park. And I do mean everyone, haha.
Point being, if you hate your park, or just feel uncomfortable when skating it, there’s no one to blame but yourself. It doesn’t matter if it’s the worst skatepark ever, or if you’re the only skater in town. If you’re not happy with how things are at your park, then change it. Make a petition to get a better park, or try to get some friends into skateboarding. As cliche as it is, you can make a difference if you make the effort too. From moving a couple obstacles around to make a new one, to just saying a simple, “Hi” to the little kid that just started, you have the power to make your skatepark atmosphere bigger than Jupiter (which is pretty big considering it’s 2 1/2 times the mass of all the other planets in the Solar System combined).
