Dr. Thomas Kemp is not your average economist.
He’s a skateboarder and he’s been studying how much skateparks really matter to people and their communities. He looked at the Lauridsen Skatepark in Des Moines, Iowa which is the biggest public skatepark in the country.
Dr. Kemp doesn’t just see skateboarding as a hobby. He treats it like something that has real value for people and the neighborhoods around it.
Using his research, Dr. Kemp figured out that adult skateboarders get about sixty one dollars worth of value every time they hit the park.
That adds up to almost half a million dollars every year. This proves that skateparks aren’t just for kids messing around. Adults travel miles just to skate there and enjoy what it has to offer.
That shows these parks bring way more to the table than most people think.
As we previously reported, Kemp called for more skateparks to give communities better places to skate and hang out.
His work shows that skateparks are more than fun spots. They are spaces that get people moving, meeting each other, and even helping out the local economy.
The core skater and professor also came up with a way for cities to figure out if they need a skatepark and how to make it right for everyone. It’s not complicated but it helps leaders see the demand and plan better.
When cities step up and put money into good skateparks, they are creating spots that people of all ages can enjoy and where skateboarding culture can thrive.
This study makes it clear that skateparks are serious community spots.
They bring people together, give adults and kids a place to do something active, and even have real economic value.
Skateboarding is growing and pulling in more kinds of people every day. Kemp’s research shows communities need to pay attention and give skateparks the respect and support they deserve.