This is a deceptively simple question. While there are maybe a dozen purpose-built parkour parks in North America as of 2020, informal parkour environments have existed all over the world in every single city in an unlimited number of forms for decades.
The reality is that the practice of parkour does not require a dedicated facility or location. Practitioners have been finding creative ways to transform the places they live into the places they play for over 30 years, discovering their own parkour parks and equipment in the wild–disguised as buildings, public squares, old playgrounds, large fountains, stairwells, construction scaffolding, and landscaping. (Wondering why should you bother with building a park if it can be practiced anywhere?)
Examples of parkour equipment in disguise
Benches
Bike Racks
Facades
Fences
Fire Escapes
Fountains
Handrailings
Mattresses
Ornamentation
Picnic Table
Puddles
Railroad Tracks
Retaining Walls
Road Markings
Rooftops
Scaffolding
Skateparks
Stairs
Trees
Wheelchair Ramps
I want you to start with this perspective: that everyone who has ever been in a park or public space has enjoyed a parkour environment. This is a powerful frame because it can open up new perspectives on how to enroll the wider community in the design these dedicated parks.
Question: What do recent parkour parks look like?
Components Most purpose-built parkour parks and gyms are composed of geometric forms and structures of different shape, size, and height. These components have different adjacent, density, distance. Components are designed in consideration of the various movement typologies–running, jumping, swinging, climbing, crawling, balancing, etc
Materiality Materials are as variable as any other type of playground–wood, concrete, brick, stone, plastic, steel, and rubber–and are permanently fixed. Flooring is designed for reducing impact such as grass, loose rubber, poured rubber, sand, or wood chips. This leaves a lot of room for designers to get creative.
Location, Size, Budget Parks spaces have been (1)components in larger master plans, (2) independent stand alone builds, and (3) temporary installations. Size can vary from micro interventions (such as a bench re-design) to large scale action parks for 50+ people. For this reason, budget on a project can range from $1000 – 100,000+
These PK Parks are well suited for the ‘left over’ spaces of cities — beneath bridges and overpasses, in-between buildings–with lighting, signage and open access.
Furthermore, these are year-round accessible, with parkour practice encouraging training in diverse environmental conditions.
Users Users are inter-generational, with teens and adults the primary user groups. You can learn more about the types of users that could activate this space in this article.
Question: Parkour can be practiced in existing environments with found infrastructure. The development of parkour parks and facilities, therefore, appears to be a paradox. Why spend precious community resources on something that doesn’t require parks and courses?
Answer: With enough creativity, Parkour can be practiced anywhere. However, there are several significant challenges limiting free practice and community building. There also are specific spatial qualities that consistently attract practitioners, offering higher quality opportunities for play, exploration, and physical challenge.
A purpose-built parkour environment has several benefits:
Quality Conditions for Instruction And Technical Practice Not all found structures are suitable for physical activity. Railings and benches can be damaged. Walls can be too rough or mossy. Anti-skateboarding wax makes surfaces slick.
Purpose-built environments can set up ideal physical circumstances for community groups and practitioners to more safely teach and refine skills. Designed components can also endure impact and intensive physical use better.
Safety, Permission, and Normalization Play in non-play spaces is stigmatized. Most teenage and adult practitioners can cite experiences of public harassment and policing. Some cities even have local laws in place forbidding 13+ populations from using playgrounds
Purpose-built environments are spaces of permission and safety where practitioners can gather, socialize, relax, and practice free from this type of harassment and fear. These spaces can also help normalize inter-generational play over time through exposure and if integrated with other public uses.
Experimental Design & Creativity By conceiving spaces with movement in mind, designers can create unusual and provoking places to inspire a new level of experimentation, problem-solving, and creativity.
Finally, that parkour can be practiced anywhere is also why we as community advocates must also pursue creating spaces that can serve broader interests than parkour alone. Parkour can be providing architects and planners with critical lessons about multi-functionality and mobility justice that can be integrated into all designs, not just designated park spaces.
Fundraising is a critical component of any project coming to life, and I’m not just talking about meeting budgeting needs. Successful fundraising campaigns raise awareness and increases community engagement with you, your project, and organization.
One of the most important parts of a fundraising campaign is writing an appeal that drives donors to give to your cause. Here are some tips to help you!
Define Victory
How much are you trying to raise and, more importantly, what does it create? Truly successful fundraising campaigns lay out a clear target and outcome, which builds trust with donors.
Do you need to raise $10,000? $50,000? If you do so, what is created? More classes? An entire school program? A new piece of equipment? Online content? A playground?
When possible, create milestones or dollar-reference points. What would a $50 dollar gift create? A $500 gift? If you hit 50%, what happens? If you don’t hit 100% what happens? Depending on your Victory condition, your approach will vary. But the fact stands:The more you can connect the dots between dollars and outcomes, the stronger your ask will be and the more you will raise.
“$2500 provides an afterschool program for low-income students”
“A gift of $50 gives 4 free classes to a student.”
“Every $10 creates an online resource to teach people how to do parkour!”Line 1
Additionally, whenever possible, include a timeline. Do you need to raise $10,000 in a month? By X date? In x number of weeks? Deadlines create urgency and also help drive giving.
Edit: Even in times of crisis, be specific. ‘Provides relief to 14 coaches and supports the creation of online content’ — Just remember that if their donations are helping fund something you will be charging for later that you consider giving access to your donors as well.
Tell Your Story
The decision to give is made in an emotional place, not a logical one.
When making an ask, you need to tell your story with emotion… but quickly. Clearly outlay the problem you are currently (and urgently!) facing or the need you are trying to address as an organization. Follow this with the solution you are presenting–your ‘Victory’–which you are asking donors to fund.
If your copy is too long you risk losing your donor. If it is too short you risk failing to inspire them. This work takes practice. 1-2 paragraphs, with your first ask by your 3rd paragraph at the latest.
Write like you speak. Use short sentences and words. Make sure your copy is easy to read.
Double proof your copy. This means someone reads it out loud – including all of the punctuation and formatting – whilst another person checks the text matches and the spelling, grammar and punctuation is correct and consistent
Focus on one message. Don’t mention every single program you run or class you offer or thing you’re selling. It muddies up the ask and misdirects focus away from The Ask.
Keep It Donor-Centered
Make your appeal donor-centered. Use the word “you” whenever possible and limit the use of ‘we’ and ‘us’. At first this seems counter intuitive, but this connects people to their personal, real and meaningful impact.
“Your one time gift provides immediate relief now“
“Your gift will help create the very first parkour playground in Seattle“
“Your monthly membershipcreates free classes for all and supports your coaches“
Be Direct With Your Ask
Many people feel uncomfortable asking for donations. Don’t beat around the bush. or wait until the very end to ask.
Have a very clear call to action and an explicit ask. If you can, ask for a specific amount. One of the biggest reasons people don’t donate is because they’re never directly asked to donate. If you want someone to become a monthly supporter, ask for that. If you need a one time donation of $100, ask for that. The more specific you are, the more confident donors will be that they have helped you solve a problem.
Include your ask early – the sooner the better
Repeat the ask (and link) several times throughout.
Be direct with phrases like “Will you donate?” “Please support us today” versus more a more passive voice.
Be specific whenever possible
Don’t muddy the ask with other asks–IE: Dont ask for a donation and then try to sell them on a membership. Pick one.
Always suggest at least one donation amount in your copy and support this by explaining what difference this would make
Consider having a non-monetary ask: if they can’t give, can they share your cause with their communities online?
Make It Easy
Every ASK should be linked to a place where donors can donate! Do not send them to your home page, or another web page re-iterating your call to action. Reduce the number of steps to gifting as much as you can.
Finally make sure to ask someone outside your team to test your online donation process, emails, or your telephone approach, to make sure it works.
When using emails, give a link directly to the pay/donation portal.
When using phone calls, take their information down and process the donation on the phone through your computer. It is far less likely they will follow through with a donation if they hang up and have to figure it out on their own.
When building a web landing, have a donation method embedded directly next to your ask.
When utilizing social media, direct link ideally to your pay/donation portal
One Tip for Community Projects
One last tip I have for people embarking on fundraising for community projects is considering offering a Match. A Matching Gift is a donation by an individual or company that matches any donation, usually dollar by dollar. This route is typically restricted to 501(c)3 registered non-profits or fiscally sponsored organizations.
A foundation, non-profit, government, or private company matches any gift to your company or organization up to a certain amount.
A private individual or set of individuals/families matches any gift to your company or organization up to a certain amount. Typically these individuals or families commit to give ahead of the campaign, to inspire others to give, and will gift the full amount even if your goal is not reached. But not always.
If you are an individual, community organization, or informal group trying to get a park built, it would be in your best interest to find a fiscal sponsor to support you in taking tax-deductible donations. Parkour Visions, a 501(c)3 based in Seattle with a mission commitment to supporting the creation and design of spaces for play and parkour, is one such organization open to these types of partnerships!
I will provide a more detailed article on soliciting for Matching funds in another article.
Dont Do This
Please dont.
Do not represent yourself as a non-profit or not-for-profit if you are not registered as one. If you are a for-profit company or private citizen, you must be clear if you are asking for ‘donations’ that they are not tax deductible and that you are not a non-proft.
Don’t make unrealistic promises, use unrealistic numbers, or unrealistic timelines. Share the real story, and the real risks. Provide regular updates.
Don’t ask for another donation before thanking your donors in a real and meaningful way.
Don’t assume a donor wants recognition. Make sure to ask how donors would like to be recognized or if they want to be anonymous.
Fiscal sponsors are non-profit organizations that partner with private individuals or groups to create programs and projects aligned with a shared mission. Importantly, a fiscal sponsor can accept tax-deductable donations or funding on behalf of a non-exempt group or project.
This type of sponsorship can be critical to accessing local, state, and federal funding, as well as foundation grants, corporate matches, and larger private donations.
Best Models of Sponsorship for Parkour Parks & Adult Playgrounds
While there are several models of fiscal sponsorship (A-F), the two models that would be best suited for parkour park projects lead by private individuals or groups are (A) Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship and (C) Pre-Approved Grant RelationshipFiscal Sponsorships.
There are pros and cons to both structures, which you should discuss carefully with your potential Fiscal Sponsor to suit the situation. However both open up funding sources and opportunities that would otherwise be closed off to your project or program.
Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship (Model A)
In a Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship, your project or program would become a part of the Fiscal Sponsor (non-profit organization). Typically this means all of the administrative, legal, and financial responsibilities fall onto the Fiscal Sponsor.
Pre-Approved Grant Relationship Sponsorship (Model C)
In a Pre-Approved Grant Relationship, your project or program does not become a part of the sponsoring organization. Instead you remain a separate entity responsible for tax reporting, liability, and more.
The most important thing when looking for a fiscal sponsor is finding an organization that shares the same goals as you and your project. These relationships tend to be long-term, so also ensuring your fiscal sponsor is able to support you in the ways you need is critical.
Parkour Visions is a a 501(c)3 Non-Profit based in Seattle, Washington that is interested in US-based Fiscal Sponsorship relationships for public parkour park projects and adult play spaces, as well as for programs serving lower incoming and under-served populations.
Every Fiscal Sponsor relationship is different in certain ways. However, here are some things you can count on expecting or should take into consideration when pursuing a Fiscal Sponsorship relationship.:
The sponsoring organization must legally provide oversight and control of the funds it receives for your project. This usually means collecting and disbursing all donations and grant funding through their bank accounts (to your coaches, contractors, designers, etc).
You are typically still in charge of project execution–raising funds, preparing budgets, designing and carrying out your project. You usually will decide how money is being spent while your Fiscal Sponsor maintains internal control, reporting, and compliance systems.
Yes > You will have to give up some control of your project for the status benefit afforded by Fiscal Sponsorship–but it can be worth it! In the case of Park projects, there likely is little to be given up.
Don’t wait until the last minute. Organizations have various timelines and processes for approving a new program or project. Establish a relationship early.
Expect a written contract, and request one if it isn’t given. Whether you are pursuing Model A or C, it is important to put into writing the details of the relationship, including ownership rights, administrative fees, responsibility scopes, and more.
Most organizations ‘charge’ a small fee to organization (7-15%) of donations or grant funds that they manage on behalf of your project or you. This is reasonable.
A Quick Note On Ownership
In Model A Comprehensive models, the Sponsoring organization tends to become the owner of all the assets, including IP, for the duration of the relationship. That is, they also assume all legal and financial risks associated with the project as well.
Agreements can be included to provide for the transfer of intellectual property and assets if you were to pursue independent 501(c)3 status in the future or transfered to working with a new sponsor. However, once it has been brought under and funded by tax-deductible, non-profit funding, it typically needs to remain within a non-profit entity.
In Pre-Approved Grant models, where you take more legal and financial responsibility for the project or program, ownership of IP and assets typically stays with you or your group.
At the end of the day, Fiscal sponsorship is a contractual relationship–meaning there is always room to negotiate the extent and limitations on ownership in regards to intellectual property. While sometimes it can be scary to consider giving up ownership, the benefits usually outweight the setbacks and can help you reach your goals more quickly.
When local government begins looking at building a new park or public space, they always start with research. They look to community surveys, public meetings and engagement events, census data, and reports from park managers and steering committees in order to figure out if there is actually a need for new spaces, what to fund, and where it should go. Project proposals that have the greatest public reach have higher value and greater chance of success.
To assess and understand the need in your community for a new park space you should gather information on the larger Movement Market. The Movement Market is a group of users that participate in ‘alternative athletics‘ which include fitness-based, outdoor, and individual sports that tend to emphasize collaboration, community, and personal creativity over head-to-head competition.
There are many reasons this research step is invaluable:
Creates a deeper understanding of all the communities and stakeholders that may be invested in seeing a new park built
Uncovers potential resources available to support your project
Involves community members early in the process, building trust and buy-in
In this article I have collected some initial information and data that can help you more fully answer the question of ‘who is my park for?’.
Section 1 defines the Movement Market and the types of sports and activity groups that should be taken into consideration when looking at direct user groups.
Section 2 collects some parkour-specific data on participation as well as for the larger collection of related athletics, with brief notes on gender, age, and income.
Section 3 provides data on the decline of team and racquet sport participation and
Section 4 looks at other important trends indicating industry growth such as public investment and partnerships, the growth of gyms, and governance.
Finally, I writing from an American perspective but a lot of this information and approach can be translated to other communities.
1: What are Alternative Athletics
Athletic Diversity
Parkour is just one branch of the family of Alternative Athletics — a grouping of sports that include a number of different fitness based sports, individual sports, and outdoor sports.
Closest related to parkour are fitness and outdoor industries such as Ninja Warrior and obstacle course race training, Movnat and ‘Movement Culture’ activities, buildering, bouldering, adult gymnastics, capoeria, calisthenics, and tricking.
Additional complementary disciplines that share some elements of skill, culture, or philosophy include breakdancing, slacklining, rock climbing, CrossFit, weight lifting, circus arts, modern dance, and martial arts.
(I am *explicitly excluding* skateboarding, which has such significant differences in risk level, skills, and relationship to the environment that lumping it together with parkour can potentially harm project success and confuse your audience.)
Most cities will have gyms, non-profit organizations, or informal communities around alternative movement practices. Climbing and parkour gyms, crossfit boxes, dance and martial art studios, etc. These communities often are deeply driven by collaboration and partnership and would likely be excited to connect with your project.
Key Take Away: Your park doesn’t just serve parkour but a larger ‘Movement Market’ and all of their subsequent students and participants — a number that can be sizable!
TIP: Start your research process by indexing the different communities, facilities, and organizations in your town or city. Reach out and try to collect data on membership and participation rates, as well as demographic information if possible (age ranges).
Sport-Sampling Behaviors
The average Alternative Athlete will actively engage in cross training and sport sampling. I lead a small community survey of parkour and climbing practitioners (n=85) and 100% of practitioners indicated they participated in at least one or more of the above activities outside of their primary sport. Furthermore, most gym facilities offer programs, space, or time for the practice of multiple Alternative Athletics.
Key Takeaway: Spaces for parkour and these alternative athletic practices can be both simple and multi-functional, and serve communities even if not explicitly designed for.High value / impact.
2: Participation Rates & Demographics
How many people are participating and what do they look like?
Participation In Parkour
There is very little large scale data collection on participation in parkour worldwide. However, Sport England has conducted an Active Lives Survey in the United Kingdom, providing insight into sports participation, including parkour!
In a 2018 survey, over 106,500 (ages 16+) in England that have participated in Parkour/Freerunning * and had taken part at least twice in the last 28 days! (data) That is two times the amount of individuals participating in skateboarding report, and up by almost 10,000 new participants.
Of this, approx 55,800 are male and 50,700 female.
Survey participants indicated they were most interested in ‘lifestyle sports’, with parkour listed among sports that people have not participated in but would like to participate in.
Participants in cities and towns (vs countryside/rural) are more likely to participate
Additionally, the Aspen Institute worked with King County, Washington to do a State of Play in 2018. In this study Youth said that they were most interested in trying non-traditional sports which included parkour, martial arts, and rockclimbing! Specifically 25% of respondents indicated their interest in trying parkour.
The United States Parkour Association is also working on an industry study for the US, to go live in 2020 with results in late 2020 /early 2021. At that time I will update this article with more expansive demographic information. If you are interested in contributing data, please contact me at Caitlin@ParkourVisions.org to be included.
Key Takeaway: Interest in parkour is growing, as well as the larger interest in ‘lifestyle’ sports, especially in urban communities. (And as noted earlier, increase in parkour participation will likely drive increased participation in other types of alternative athletics).
In Fitness-Based / Outdoor Sports
When looking to represent potential participation interest to local government, looking at larger fitness statistics can really help you build a far stronger case. According to the 2019 Physical Activity Council Participation Report:
Over 72% of Americans age 6+ reported in engaging in some form of physical activity on a weekly basis–a number that continues to rise every year. This is reflecting a rising interest in physical health and activity. Aspen Institute also discovered that half of all vigorous exercise occurs in parks (link).
There has been a 5%-6% increase in Outdoor and Fitness-based sport participation, with 66% of individuals age 6+ reporting participation in fitness based sports, and 59% in outdoor sports (which parkour would fall into). Alternative Athletics are primarily composed of Outdoor and Fitness-based sports.
*COMPARE THIS TO: only 22.6 % of the population reporting participation in Team sports (soccer, basketball, football, etc) and 13% in racquet sports (tennis, . This statistic is PARTICULARLY valuable since many governments have spent huge amounts of money on providing facilities and fields for racquet and team sports for this small sampling of the population and very little for fitness sport activity such as outdoor fitness parks.
Key Takeaway: Team sports are on the decline while fitness-based and outdoor sports are on the rise. Participation in fitness-based and outdoor sports significantly out-weighs participation in team and racquet sports. Most cities provide dedicated spaces for team and racquet sports yet there are limited dedicated spaces for the practice of fitness-based and outdoor sports (outside of hiking and cycling trails).Outdoor parkour and adult play spaces / fitness parks can service larger populations.
Income Impact on General Fitness Participation
Income is also strongly correlated with inactivity. The lower the income, the more likely for inactivity. Participation is blocked by cost of participation — field fees, race entrance fees, gym costs, etc. Outdoor and Fitness-based sports report the highest levels of participation among low income communities. (Aspen Institute State of Play 2018)
Key Takeaway: Having free and easily accessible public spaces for general fitness could contribute to increasing participation among these vulnerable populations.
Gender & Age in Parkour
Alternative Athletics tend to be ‘Life-style’ and Life-Time Sports, promoting community over competitive achievement, and creating space for participation beyond youth.
AGE
Parkour Visions, a Seattle based non-profit, has served students from 3 – 72, with our largest demographic being youth ages 7-12. Around the tween-teen age, students transition into community participation. There also is an active adult community that is independently self organizing. This is comparable to other cities and communities.
PK Move and Parkour Dance Company have served students into their 70s and 80s. At the annual Art of Retreat Conference, we have had participants from their 20s – 60s . At the Annual Womens Gathering, we have had participants from 12 – 60s.
Through an informal survey in Feb 2020 through community channels, just a quick look:
Country/State
Youngest
Oldest
UK
6
60
UK
5
68
UK
5
60
Denmark
9
19
Belgium
8
47
Denmark
22
72
AUS
3
65
WA, USA
3
72
CT, USA* Youth Programs
4
19
DC, USA
4
82
UT, USA
6
50
PA, USA
3
~50s
CA, USA
68
PA, USA
3
~60s
WA, USA
5
51
NY, USA
5
50
Argentina
3
35
France
6
75
GENDER
Additionally, while practice has historically been dominated by men, the Sport England study shows that when provided with a degree of organization, governance, and instruction, near comparable participation rates are achievable. (55k-M to 50k-F split!)
Key Takeaway:Parkour is age diverse and capable of attracting near equal participation by genders.
Did you know that according to a youth sports participation survey, 62% of kids quit organized team sports by age 11? Furthermore In 2018, only 38% of kids ages 6 to 12 played team sports on a regular basis, down from 45% in 2001.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health also discovered that although almost three in four adults played sports when they were younger (73%), only one in four (25%) continue to play sports as adults. (Again, juxtaposed against the increase in participation in generalized fitness-based and outdoor sports)
4: Parkour Industry Evolution
Gym expansion, program reach, and the establishment of governance structures
PUBLIC FUNDING & PARTNERSHIPS
Parkour has continued to rise out of obscurity, with organizations securing partnerships and public funding for programs across the states. While there are many more examples, just a few include:
Parkour Visions, a 501(c)3 non-profit, received a $50,000 grant from King County to provide free afterschool programs, outreach workshops, and an Adaptive Parkour programs in 2018-2019. They continue to build their partnerships with the City of Seattle and the Associated Recreation Council. PK Move, a 501(c)3 non-profit, received a $5,000 grant to partner with Alexandria City Public Schools to provide a free afterschool program.
DC Public Schools officially partners with American Parkour to bring a parkour-based Physical Education curriculum to over 40 DC and Maryland public schools, and is expanding to charter schools and afterschool programs. Many other orgs around the country partner on a smaller scale to provide similar programming in and out of school.
The Movement Creative in NYC has built successful event and program partnerships with the New York City Department of Transportation, Department of Education, and Department of Parks & Recreation, sometimes reaching over 20,000 people per event. They also were provided space to build large seasonal parkour installations on Governors Island by the Trust from 2015-2017.
American cities are finally beginning to invest in building dedicated parks for parkour, with construction of parks in Boise ID, Somerville MA, San Diego CA, and a planned park in New York City — all since 2016. Meanwhile, internationally over a hundred parkour parks have been built, with higher volumes of parks in Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Berlin.
MORE ON GOVERNANCE
As of 2020 there are at least 28 national governing bodies internationally and 3 international world governing bodies vying for authority. In the United States, the United States Parkour Association formed as a NGB in 2018 and began on-boarding members officially in late 2019.
GYMS & PROGRAMMING
As of October 2019, there are at least 40 states in the US with dedicated (primary focus) parkour facilities and communities and 27 states with affiliated ninja gyms in the United States, with the highest concentration of establishments in New York, California, Texas, and Colorado.
There are at least 4 parkour non-profit organizations with established records and activity (1,2,3,4), dozens of national and regional annual events drawing between 50-250 participants, and an international industry leadership and education conference directly reaching over 50 organizations and 35 countries since 2015.
The Federation of International Gymnastics recently (and controversially) claimed ownership of parkour and is encouraging national gymnastics organizations to establish and field US parkour teams in 2020. There are also at least a hundred gymnastics facilities offering some small scale form of parkour, obstacle course, or ninja programming across the majority of the US, recognizing its ability to draw in male participation and increase revenue. It is safe to project the continued growth of parkour participation as it gains greater mainstream awareness.
In a similar vein, there has been an explosion of parkour competition platforms. The US has the West Coast Parkour Championships, fielding 8 competitions in 8 different cities in 2020, and the Midwest Parkour League, fielding 10 competitions in 9 cities and 5 states. The Sport Parkour League fields 7 competitions in Canada and the US. Finally, there is the highly controversial ‘world parkour championships’ being organized by F.I.G.
Recap & What You Need To Do
When advocating for a park project, one of the best things you can do to support the success of the project is to build and demonstrate community support. Your community is bigger than just parkour — it is the whole movement market.
When conducting user or market analysis of your local community, or looking to build local support, include all alternative athletics– your ‘Movement Market.
The Movement Market includes individuals of all age ranges, genders, and race.
Alternative Athletics have larger numbers of participation (via’outdoor’ and ‘fitness-based’ activities) than conventional team and racquet sports combined.
Most cities have not provided free public space resources for fitness-based and outdoor activities beyond hiking and cycling, so there is a demonstrable need.
Alternative athletics are growing, with measured increase in participation in most sports.
Alternative Athletics tend to be lifetime sports, encouraging long-term participation, engagement, and investment into spaces for these types of activities by the users.
YOUR TO DO LIST
Research and create a database of communities and alternative sports offered and operating within a 35-45 minute radius (via most common form of transportation in your area). This can include gyms, non-profits, schools with related programs, informal communities. Utilize google, social media, event sites like meetup.com and eventbrite, and linkedin. Collect email, phone, and primary contact
Reach out to every entry in your database, share your project vision (under 2 minutes!) and request participation and demographic information for their particular community. Capture this data in your database. (See worksheet below for suggested data)
Research state and federal statistics on participation in fitness-based, outdoor, and individual sports. Capture in a document, summaries with links to your sources. Choose non-profit, government, and peer-reviewed published data whenever possible.
Create a one-sheet summary of all this data, creating the story about your local Movement Market, highlighting key community partners (those with the largest memberships or participant reaches) and the inter-generational, inclusive nature of alternative athletics
Identify public officials or upcoming public meetings and community input sessions where you can submit or present your findings. (See future article)
Maintain relationships with your newly established community connections. Public projects can take years. Keeping communication open with your potential partners and community users will help in future advocacy efforts, during design input, and throughout the life of the project.
The Public Parkour Park Roadmap is a free guide and series of articles to support individuals and communities in their efforts to build inter-generational play-spaces and parkour parks in their neighborhoods.
Over the last 20 years parkour, movnat, and other forms of alternative play-based movement practices have dramatically risen in interest and participation, drawing in not only children, but teens, adults, and seniors. However, in that same time there hasn’t been a notable increase in public play spaces for these older populations.
Parkour Parks, natural playscapes, and alternative play spaces can add immense value to a community — especially when designed to ensure inter-generational all-ability participation. Providing free access to spaces and tools that support physical and mental well being supports the growth of a whole and healthy society.
This guide is here to serve as a jumping off point, providing insight into the various stages of grassroots park development–starting with advocacy within your town or city through design, build, and long term community-care.
Overview of the Roadmap
As articles are released, I will update the links here.
Stage 1: Community Building & Partnership
You establish and develop the local and regional community through public or private programming. You build strategic partnerships with government agencies, community organizations, and companies, connecting them to your vision and the value of this type of project.
Stage 2: Public Advocacy, Education, and Normalization
You raise public awareness of the value of parkour, play, and alternative athletics in your community through civic participation, public speaking, and participation in larger community-building activities.
Organizations that provide funding for Public Space projects
Stage 4: Design & Construction
You hire an architecture, engineering, or design consulting firm to collaborate with your community leaders to create a vision. You work with your partners, site owners, and contractors to build.
Precedence – And why you need it
Essential Parkour Park Characteristics
Essential Playground Characteristics
Choosing Materials
Is it a Park or a Playground or a Public Space?
Why You Should Hire A Professional
Choosing a Design Professional
Considering Accessibility
Stage 5: Long Term Community Caretaking
You commit to and create ways to ensure the long term use and health of the park. A park that is well used and loved will continue to receive caretaking and maintenance.
Why Multi-Community Investment is Critical to Success
Connecting the Community to your Park
Activating the Park through Programming Partners
Sustaining Community Involvement
Leave No Trace Together
Organizing Community Events 101
Project Footnotes
Schedule This project went live February 2020 and is on track for 1 article a month.
Geographic Bias This guide is written from a North American perspective on risks, funding, and community behaviors. However many of these articles will be useful for understanding project processes regardless of location.
Attribution This guide was inspired by the public skateboard park development guide, which I highly recommend since skateboarders and parkour practitioners face similar issues.
Living Project This is a living project that will be modified, updated, and expanded when appropriate.
Use Professionals This is an experiential guide, not a prescriptive set of rules. Always consult with legal and design professionals familiar with your local code, permitting, site, and funding requirements and restrictions. Every town, city, state, and country is different.
About Me
I am a non-profit director, partnership manager, and designer with 10 years experience leading strategic planning for community organizations, consulting on parkour design-built projects, managing major cross-sector partnerships, and facilitating professional development in the parkour community. I have traveled extensively and studied public spaces and playgrounds across the world, oversaw 50+ temporary playground art installations, and continue providing smaller communities with individualized support advocating for the creation and preservation of parkour environments.
I also hold a professional degree in Architecture from Syracuse University
