Skateboard parks from milk jugs? Cool, dude

Sometimes it pays to turn one’s attention from multi-million dollar engineering projects to innovations that meet the demands of those who are, literally, the "little guys."

Besides, old milk jugs make good half-pipes.

The modular design of Skate Trax parks is another advantage. The pieces are moveable and will fit with other pieces to expand or change the overall structure. When a surface does incur some damage, the piece can be unscrewed, flipped over and reattached. To create a park, the installer secures the pieces to walls, ledges, planters, etc. with a combination of tamper-proof bolts, epoxy and cast pins.

Skateboarders are thrilled with Seattle-based Ravensforge’s product line. So are property owners and environmentalists.

The company manufactures skateboarding and in-line skating ramps, surfaces, handrails and other amenities from recycled materials to make mobile, modular skateboard parks they’ve dubbed Skate Trax. The product is trademarked.

Ravensforge is marketing its products as safer because, the company says, plastic reduces skateboarding injuries as it is more flexible than metal or concrete. This safety feature could help protect property owners from liability. Affordability is another selling point. From discarded items, Ravensforge is successfully building its skate parks at one-quarter the cost of conventional structures.

The plastic pieces are durable and do not chip or crack. Consequently, they also cost less to maintain.

To make its products, Ravensforge melts milk jugs and other plastic containers, then reshapes the heated liquid to form.

The modular design of Skate Trax parks is another advantage. The pieces are moveable and will fit with other pieces to expand or change the overall structure. When a surface does incur some damage, the piece can be unscrewed, flipped over and reattached. To create a park, the installer secures the pieces to walls, ledges, planters, etc. with a combination of tamper-proof bolts, epoxy and cast pins.

Skate Trax’s manufacturers say limited space is no problem: 60 by 120 feet can accommodate 11 skate tricks, including half-pipes. The more tricks the buyer wants a park to offer, the more pieces required.

In addition to its Skate Trax parks, Ravensforge also has another product line: SkateBlocks. These are guards that deter skaters from sliding along handrails, chipping paint and causing dents. Public and private property owners are installing these to prevent damage to plazas and parks. SkateBlocks are precision cast from brass, bronze or aluminum and are reportedly easy to secure to benches, planters and handrails.

SkateBlocks handrail guards were recently installed at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.

The company’s growing list of local clients for Skate Trax parks includes the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in downtown Seattle, Westlake Center, the state capitol campus in Olympia, a Washington Mutual Bank and a local elementary school.

According to founder Steve Mace, there are approximately 1,170 skate parks in the U.S. Of these, 98 are in California. There are 73 in Canada. The company’s owners say they are market leaders, poised to meet increasing demand for skateboard park products.

Ravensforge was formed two years ago by partners Russ Ford, John Knickerbocker and Mace, all of whom have backgrounds in property management. Their experiences with skate boarding concerns prompted them to seek solutions to injuries and property damage.

“When we were first exposed to the problems created by skateboards and in-line skates, like everyone else, we spent a great deal of time and money trying to find a solution to deter the skaters,” said Mace.

But then he and his partners began to view the problem in a new way, Mace said.

“We became aware of the limitations of current skate parks…we realized early on that stopping skaters from causing damage had to include giving them somewhere else to go.”

The partners shifted their attention to resolving skateboarding issues by building better facilities that meet the needs of everybody. “We realized a better system of providing skating opportunities needed to involve neighborhoods and not just a central area of a city…our goal is to make it possible for a particular neighborhood to install smaller skate parks close to their homes.”

Ravensforge’s products can be viewed on its Web site.