The Los Angeles County roller skating community is growing while the availability of roller skating spaces is shrinking. Public spaces for roller skating are needed now more than ever. LA offers the perfect weather to have a public outdoor rink, which eliminates the massive costs of air conditioning and electricity. The Sixth Street Bridge Park would be a great location for an outdoor roller rink for the LA community. 

 

 

The Problem

Roller skaters in LA County have limited access to safe and quality roller skating spaces. Southern California has one of the largest roller skating communities in the world. There are free outdoor public spaces for basketball, tennis and skateboarding in nearly every LA neighborhood. We need free, public outdoor roller rinks to serve our community as well. 

Solution

Work with the local government to create a public and free outdoor roller rink. The new Sixth Street Bridge Park would be a great location for an outdoor roller rink because DTLA it is the best-connected neighborhood in Los Angeles when it comes to public transport, with four of the city’s main Metro lines linking through here. The bridge would also offer much-needed shade from the sun especially during the summer. The Sixth Street Bridge Park will be 12 acres and a 5,000-10,000 square foot roller rink would only be .115-.23 of an acre. 

 

 

Why Roller Skating Spaces Are Important

Community

• When you roller skate regularly, you create meaningful relationships and friendships. You become part of a supportive network of people that not only want to see you succeed in skating but in all aspects of your life.  
• Being part of a community (especially post COVID and remote work popularity) can have a positive effect on your mental health and emotional wellbeing because it gives you a sense of belonging and offers meaning and purpose to your life. 

Physical Health

• Roller skating is a combination of cardio and resistance training that utilizes your body weight and the weight of your skates.
• You can burn up to 600 calories in one hour of skating.
• Many people build stronger muscles when they start roller skating consistently.
• Because it is fun and social sport, it makes it easy to exercise regularly, keeping people healthy and happy.

Mental Health

• Exercise releases endorphins, which boosts your mood and can help with symptoms of anxiety and depression making roller skating great for your mental health.
• Challenging yourself to learn new skate moves builds confidence, learning and growing at every skill level.
• Time spent outside and in nature has been linked to many benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.

Efficient & Meaningful Use of Space

• Because the size of one basketball court (approximately 4,700 sq ft) could provide enough space for 100+ people to skate easily, and still be a ton of fun for all participants, the use of space in a densely populated city like Los Angeles is very efficient.
• Creating dedicated spaces for roller skating in LA would serve hundreds of residents of all races, ages, genders, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

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To learn more and/or get involved go to rollerskatersunited.com or email us at rollerskatersunited@gmail.com.