Horsham Skatepark, 1 year on

10th August 2002

As the end of the defects liability approaches it is interesting to review one of the more unusual Sports Construction Consultancy projects.

All locations are sensitive to this type of installation to some extent and this site is close to a hospital and a private residence. Horsham District Council wanted to utilise a site in the corner of an attractive town park and to floodlight it.

Acoustic considerations were steering the scheme towards using 4.0m acoustic barriers but a novel alternative was finally adopted. The kidney shaped area has been sunk 2.0m into the ground with excavated material shaped into 2.0m bunds around the sensitive sides of the location. This led to a difficulty in removing surface water because of the low level but, by means of a cut-off perimeter drain and a shallow gradient outfall to a collection pond in the park, the surface and ground water has been discharged away from the area.

Horsham District Council developed the scheme in conjunction with the local skateboarders and BMXers as well as a local builder of timber ramps. It has proven to be very popular with a high level of usage until 9:30pm under the floodlights.

The surface is a durable stone mastic asphalt laid to a high tolerance to prevent surface ponding. The main contractor was Edburton who had to pull off the site because access was impossible across the park in the winter of 2001.

The finished project fits well in the park and has been a successful solution to a sensitive problem.

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