Together, Lisa, David, and Italian WCMX athlete Ilaria Naef – a pioneer of the Italian WCMX scene and multiple podium finisher at the WCMX World Championships – were invited to Milan to test three skateparks for their usability by wheelchair users.

The invitation came from skatepark designer Ettore Grandi, who designed all three facilities and built them together with UAO Skateparks.

The skateparks tested were located in Ponte Lambro, Saronno, and Senago.

What all three parks had in common was one crucial feature:
Each of them includes at least one separate wheelchair-accessible ramp leading to higher platforms. These elevated starting points are essential for generating speed, flow, and safe lines – a key requirement for genuine participation in skateparks.

Ponte Lambro – Our Personal Favorite

Although the skatepark is relatively small, the design feels extremely coherent. Lines are logical, many obstacles are easy to approach, and the overall concept works very well for WCMX. You can clearly tell that the park was designed as a unified whole.

A positive highlight was an accessible parking space directly on site. Unfortunately, the pathway leading to the skatepark itself was less accessible.

Adjacent to the park were several sports and fitness installations, some of which were even barrier-free. One important recommendation from our side was to equip the opposing quarter pipes with an additional access ramp, as they would offer excellent starting points for multiple lines but are currently not reachable for wheelchair users.

Saronno – Multiple Start Points, Challenging Obstacles

The skatepark in Saronno stands out for offering many opportunities to enter the park from elevated positions. Via the wheelchair ramp, users can reach a long platform that provides numerous drop-in options – a clear advantage when it comes to line variety.

At the same time, many obstacles are arranged in a technically demanding way, requiring precise lines and controlled riding. Challenging, but exciting.

The exchange with the Mayor of Saronno was a particularly valuable moment during the visit.

There is, however, room for improvement regarding overall accessibility:

• There was no accessible parking space nearby.
• The approach routes were partly very steep.
• The rest and viewing areas were not barrier-free.

Additionally, an extra rideable platform at another quarter pipe would be a meaningful improvement.

Senago – Community and a Double

Senago also offers a solid starting point via a dedicated access ramp, especially toward the mini ramp and a wobble obstacle.

A real highlight was a ledge that David was able to grind – including a back-to-back double together with local skateboarder Oussama Nejmi. For advanced WCMX riders, this is a strong and rather rare feature.

What truly made Senago special, however, was the community:
open, curious, welcoming, and immediately ready to learn together. The sessions and conversations with Ettore and the local skaters provided valuable impulses for future planning. Some improvements are already being discussed.

Conclusion

All three skateparks demonstrate how much is possible when accessibility is considered from the very beginning. At the same time, there are still clear gaps:

• missing accessible parking spaces,
• partially difficult access routes,
• and no accessible toilets in the immediate vicinity of the parks.

Still, the direction is promising. We hope that our testing contributes to making future generations of Italian skateparks even more inclusive.

Video

The video of our trip (in Italian, but absolutely worth watching) shows the parks and sessions in detail: