Student Experience

Build.

40% of the coursework takes place in non-traditional classrooms. In a typical week, students in the Action Sports Park Development program will find themselves building and maintaining bike pump and jump tracks with the Bike Park Maintenance and Dirt Features Fabrication courses and exploring sustainability through the Sustainable Singletrack Trail Construction source. They will also find themselves assessing the features and maintenance requirements of private and municipal skateparks with the Skatepark Management course, building wood and metal skatepark features in Ramp Fabrication, and participate in the design-build principles and maintenance of Snow Terrain Parks. Check out your Course List.

Our Action Sports Park Development students work with industry pros like Arena Snowparks from British Columbia and Calabogie Peaks Resort, on terrain projects like the North American Ski Cross Noram. When you learn from the best, you can become the best.

Action Sports Park Development, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus


Ride.

If it’s built, it must be ridden right? The principles of industry-standard designs are embedded throughout the program. Test-riding what we design is an integral part of the program, however, there is no evaluation around a person’s skill-level for any of the action sports activities.

This is a physically demanding program. Students must be in good physical condition, be able to spend extended periods of time working out-of-doors in all seasons and carry heavy loads, have good manual dexterity, and work in remote and rugged settings.

Check out this Tony Hawk Foundation Skatepark Planning Podcast featuring Jeff Iles, Action Sports Park Development Professor.

All the Places Where You Will Ride – Bike Parks

A bike park is a piece of land specifically designed for off-road or mountain biking. Our students have the opportunity to learn at some exceptional facilities such as Brose Farm and the Construction Yard Bike Park. Both facilities offer a beginner course, skills area, multi-level jumps, pump tracks and wall ride.


Algonquin College Action Sports & Park Development mountain bike trailMountain Bike Trails

The Action Sports industry has a growing demand for specialized technicians that know how to plan, build and maintain successful mountain bike parks, along with flow trails and other purpose-built bicycling facilities. There’s more to building a trail than moving rocks and dirt. Trails are usually part of larger systems that are the result of careful and diligent planning and collaboration. These trail systems must serve the needs of multiple user groups and take environmental and geographical factors into account.

 


Ski and Snowboard Area Terrain Parks

Algonquin College Actions Sports & Park Development snowboard parkTerrain parks are a big deal at most snow sports areas because of demands by snowboarders and skiers to experience a variety of features during their visit. As a student, you have the opportunity to learn at hills like Mount Pakenham, Camp Fortune, and Calabogie Peaks Resort. It’s important to design a park with the progression system in mind. Every one needs features that suit there ability. If a park is designed with features for only advanced riders up to 70% of resort visitors are left out. Parks are being designed so riders have a progressive system of features to learn and develop their skills. It’s imperative that people can learn safely on jumps and rails that fit their ability level.


Actions Sports & Park Development - The Rapids Skate ParkSkateboard Parks

Skateparks are man-made dreamscapes for skateboarders, inline skaters and freestyle BMX bikers. Skateparks are loaded with ramps, grinding rails, benches and boxes where freestyle athletes learn new tricks and hone their skills. Many cities and smaller towns build public skateparks as free and safe recreation spots for both young and old.

 

Jordan Bonifacio designed the Yard in Ottawa and teaches in the program. Check out this video of the Yard:


Learn.

Learning within your field of interest always helps with skill retention. In addition to skills developed in the fieldwork courses, students can expect to develop a number of employability skills including:

  • Ability to communicate effectively
  • Interpersonal relationship building
  • Professionalism and leadership development
  • Marketing and media development
  • Safety and risk management
  • Facilities and event management
  • Municipal policy and program planning

These videos were produced before the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It reflects a campus life that is currently altered to ensure the health and safety of our students and employees. We are currently following all protocols as outlined by our public health authorities.