Skatepark hours should align with standard park hours. Skatepark hours should not be tailored for a specific patron. Occasionally a community, fearing that the skatepark will encourage school truancy, will open their skateparks only after the school day is over. This eliminates support for older skaters—such as those in college or in the work force—and puts the burden of use into narrow time periods. Most skateparks bear an “after-school rush” and to add all non-student skaters to that burden puts an incredible load on the facility.
In warmer climates, permitting some reasonable degree of evening skating allows skaters to enjoy the park without the summer heat.
Popular skateparks are candidates for after-hours activity, particularly if the skatepark has enough ambient light. During peak hours (4 — 7 PM), better skateparks in larger towns can draw capacity numbers. As the evening approaches, younger skaters leave and older skaters are (finally) allowed greater access to the terrain. Caught in the moment of a fun session with your friends, it’s easy to overlook the park hours.
Skateparks that are sited correctly will generally benefit from some light after-hours skating as it brings positive after-hours activity to an area.
Many Parks Departments, realizing that their skatepark is much too small to handle the usage, have installed lights and written special extended hours for the skatepark to help spread the usage load over a broader period of time.
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