Extreme sports have boomed and become more popular recently, with adrenaline junkies traveling all over the world to get their fix. Despite there being a higher priority on safety nowadays, the spirit of adventure and demand to push the limits is stronger than ever. With the rise of extreme sports comes the rise of extreme sports facilities that cater to more adventurous activities like BMX racing, skateboarding, and wall climbing.
If you’re an extreme sports enthusiast looking to create a safe space for your fellow adrenaline-seekers, here are a few things you should consider before building your facility.
Activities
The first thing to consider before building your facility is asking yourself: “What kind of sports and activities do I want to host?” This will help you figure out important aspects like the kind of area you need, how big it should be, and the age groups you plan to cater to. This is important, especially if you choose to host seasonal sports.
Contractor Selection
One of the most important things you’ll need to consider to ensure a successful project is choosing the right contractor. There are many contractors out there with different specializations and quality work. Make sure that your contractor has obtained a proper license and go with a company that has experience in building facilities similar to yours. It’s also important to give them a call to discuss your project, visit their website, see their previous projects, and seek out reviews about their service. If you want to turn your vision into a reality, these tips will help you make sure you’re hiring the right person to do your project.
Building Regulations
Depending on where you want your facility to stand, you’ll need to understand your town or city’s corresponding building regulations. To avoid any unnecessary stress, it’s important to make sure that your plan follows these regulations. Meet and have your plans approved by your local municipality or representative, then meet with your zoning department to discuss any changes before making that first dig.
Congested Sites
You might not always get the amount of space you want. If you’re hosting a few activities, you can build your facilities on smaller land in the middle of downtown. If you want to serve a larger audience, you might have to locate your complex at the city center. Finding ways to get your facility to fit in with its surroundings is one of the more challenging steps in your project, but you can ease this problem through a simple discussion with your contractor.
Environmental Challenges
It isn’t uncommon for multi-sport facilities to face distinctive challenges. If you’re planning to add a roof over your facility, you’ll have to think about the following: HVAC systems and lighting. Your HVAC system and lighting need to be compatible with the sport you’ll be hosting during a particular season. The lighting in your facility should be bright enough not to cause any potential safety hazards and should be turned off when not in use to keep your facility cooled down.
This is the same for outdoor facilities. You’ll need to install a good amount of lighting that will keep the area bright even at night.
Irrigation/Draining
No matter what type of field you’ll be having in your facility, you’ll need to think about irrigation and draining. If you have synthetic turf fields, don’t worry about irrigation. Worry about draining. On the other hand, if you have natural turf fields, you’ll need a proper irrigation system. You’ll need to keep your turf healthy by keeping its water content above 60%. If it drops below that, your turf can become weaker and possibly die. Use additional water sources if rainfall isn’t enough to sustain your turf.
It’s important to note that temperature, sunlight, wind, humidity, and rainfall can all affect the amount of water your field needs. If you’re not familiar with your area, you can use weather data to decide whether or not you need supplemental water.
Weather Safety
Depending on your location, different weather phenomena can cause safety and health hazards. It can damage your facility, injure, or even kill people. Lightning is among one of the most common yet most dangerous weather conditions that can endanger your facility. The best thing you can do about this is to install a lightning detection system, which monitors the local electric field and triggers potential lightning warnings.
Design and Amenities
Like any other facility owner, you want your guests to keep coming back. If you plan to build an outdoor facility, include benched areas that have small roofs. This encourages your guests to spend more time with their friends while resting and keeps them in your facility for a longer time. For indoor facilities, make sure that you have open spaces where people can stay without being in the way.
Many sports complexes and facilities use concession stands as a secondary source of income and another reason for people to stay in their facilities for a longer time. Put up a small snack shack where guests can go when they’re in the mood for a snack or drink. You can also put up some outdoor barbecue grills that can be rented out for a time.
This only scratches the surface of creating an extreme sports complex or facility. Still, with these helpful tips, you’ll find yourself one step closer to creating the perfect haven for adrenaline junkies.
