Concord Skatepark is located on the corner of Cowell Street and San Miguel Road, close to where Cowell Street meets Monument Boulevard in Concord, California. The park is open from 1:30 p.m. until dusk when school is in session. During school breaks and weekends the park opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at dusk. Basic information may be obtained on the City of Concord parks webpage.
The facility is approximately one-third of an acre and it is designed for skateboards, in-line skates, roller skates, and manual scooters. No bikes are permitted in the facility and motorized skateboards or scooters are not allowed. Helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads are required.
Concord Skatepark is easily accessible from San Miguel Road. This entrance keeps users of the skatepark off the two main streets which border the park. The perimeter fence is secure to prevent someone from accidentally entering the park. I observed skaters of all ages including some as young as 5 years of age. This was nice to see as it shows all ages are welcome.
I met a young man, Kelly, who was very receptive to providing feedback. When asked what he liked about Concord Skatepark he was quick to reply that it is in a convenient location and it provides those involved in the sport a fun and safe place to go. Kelly added that with regulations against congregating in other areas to skate, such as in and around malls and shopping centers, Concord Skatepark is a valuable asset. He added that regular users of Concord Skatepark are not selfish, rude, or protective of the park and they eagerly share the facility with everyone.
Of course I had to ask Kelly if there were things he didn’t like about Concord Skatepark and he expressed his concerns. He stated since the park is small it results in congestion when a lot of people use the park. Kelly mentioned that the small size of the park means that sometimes when executing a maneuver or jump a skater can skid off the concrete and into the grass. He said he understands the City of Concord has plans to expand the park.
Kelly ran down a list of the items available in Concord Skatepark including ramps, rails, bowl, bench ledge, hubba ledge, pillars, quarter pipe, and half pipe.
My evaluation is that Concord Skatepark is a nice, although small, skatepark enjoyed by all ages of skateboarders and those who prefer skates or manual scooters.