Youtube channel About Here does a mini dive into how Vancouver went from being a place of banning skateboarders in public spaces by adding skate stoppers in rails and benches to purposely creating public spaces that add beauty to the city while also allowing skateboarders to skate them. Recently, Vancouver started its CitySkate plan initiative to make the city more friendly for skateboarding. Along with that, the city boasts 9 skate parks at the time of this writing with more to come and many other famous skate spots around the city.
It's a great explanation of how skaters can work with local cities and towns to purposely create public spaces for them. Whether these public spaces are full-blown skateparks or simpler paved walkways with skateable ledges to the sides it doesn't matter. What matters is the attitude of the people in power to understand that skateboarding or other non-team sports do not have to be a nuisance to the city when they're involved in the planning of it.
If your city or town is still looking negatively at skateboarding it may just simply take for you to get involved in your town and let them know that skateboarding can be a great pastime, an Olympic sport, as well as a great attraction for people to visit and spend money in your local community.