Green Practices
Skateparks with Long-term Durability
If we’ve learned anything about environmental responsibility it’s that short term solutions will not work. When Spohn Ranch builds a skatepark – it’s there to stay. Our parks are given the stamp of approval by professional skateboarders and a wide range of users with different backgrounds and skill levels. This ensures that communities aren’t forced to undertake the environmentally disruptive process of tearing out their park and building another one because the kids weren’t skating it.
When it comes to the parks themselves, our Spohncrete system ensures advanced protection against wear and tear that would normally require continuous maintenance. Metal edging is inserted directly into our concrete molds before casting, giving our pieces superior resistance to grinding and damage.
Our proprietary material mixture yields high-strength concrete that minimizes cracking and chipping. Precision-cast concrete is also subject to stringent quality control, reaching 6000 psi strength vs. the 4000 psi commonly found in poured-in-place parks. Spohn Ranch’s pre-cast pieces are also backed by a 15-year limited warranty, while a typical poured-in-place park is covered by a 1-year warranty.
All these long-term benefits mean that our parks prevent fuel-burning trucks from constantly traveling back and forth to performance maintenance and repairs.
Leaving a Small Construction Footprint
While most concrete builders require earthwork, excavation and compacted soil to create complex forms, Spohn Ranch’s pre-cast concrete can be set directly into an existing concrete slab. By reusing a concrete slab and installing custom concrete skate elements, cities across the country have already made a sustainable choice by choosing to upgrade their facilities with Spohn Ranch. Extra large pieces like a dock drop usually require wood for the large form structures needed for poured-in-place concrete. With our pre-cast pieces, this wood is saved, resulting in a greener skatepark. With minor cutting and flatwork, the pieces are seamlessly integrated into the slab, creating a flawless concrete park without wasting existing concrete. This approach allows us be in and out, without creating disturbances to nearby facilities and recreation areas.
As we plan and design each park, we also engineer a high level of sustainability and eco-friendly construction materials and methodology. By planning ahead, we positively influence both how the environment affects the skatepark and how the skatepark affects the environment. We increase the “greenness” of projects by recycling all run-off water from the park, designing grass cut-outs, and incorporating permeable pavers and recycled materials. Also, as a member of the Action Sports Environmental Coalition, we are continually working with the rest of the action sports industry to find new ways to incorporate environmentally-friendly practices into our skateparks.