Interesting article (click click click) about Skateable Furniture - a range of benches that encourage skateboarding as a positive activity for youth to regenerate public spaces.

 

By getting your switch heel krooks down on these you’re actually saving public areas from those who try to sneak under the radar, you know, “the gansta, the killa and the dope dealer” - It would be cool to keep Ice Cube, WC and Mack 10 out of your sacred skate space, no?

Hey everyone,

We just got back from the Parks Board meeting regarding China Creek. Both

sides presented arguments for and against for about 3 hours. (Howard

Redekopp, Jeff Chan, Calen Sinclaire, Derek DeLand, Doug Donut, Dan

Cummer, Jay Pay, a couple of neighbours in favour, including Cate

Atkinson, and me, Kim Glennie, spoke to save the bowls, several neighbours

spoke against keeping them.) Mark Vuillamy recommended preserving China

Creek, Michel DesRochers did not speak out against them, just presented

options 1 and 3.

I'll cut to the chase with the good news - the commissioners present are

recommending Option 1 - that is keeping the skatepark! Korina Houghton,

Loretta Woodcock and Spencer Herbert were all in favour of keeping the

bowls. It will go to vote in the beginning of next year, no other

commissioners were present, but Al DeGenova has already voiced his

support, so that means we have a majority!

At the end, and to summarize, the commissioners commended the VSPC on

their positive action and organization, while recognizing that some of the

concerns residents have are real and need to be addressed. The Parks Board

did not agree that removing the bowls would keep the 'bad' element out of

the park; in fact they thought the opposite was true. The Parks Board felt

that all wooden ramps need to be removed, as well as possibly the rail, to

limit noise issues, and to also make the park look cleaner. Korina

Houghton also acknowledged the historic value of the bowls, she really

seemed in favour of some sort of plaque, Loretta Woodcock said we all seem

like a great community with lots of history, and Spencer Herbert said the

skatepark was far more likely to scare away negative activity than attract

it.

Also, the commissioners suggested we all need to work together - that is -

meet with residents sometime in future - and cooperate on how this can

work for everyone. I suggested doing skateboard mentorship or lessons,

through a shop or community centre, and after the meeting, I spoke with

several of the complainants, offered my email address, and said I would

bring up their concerns and possible solutions at the meeting tomorrow.

The Parks Board MAY organize a meeting so we can all get together sometime

also. The woman I spoke longest to, Barb, was the Cedar House community

policing rep, and really wanted the skatepark gone. I tried to make some

suggestions, and she seemed amenable to some of them. They also would like

to be invited to the next event, which would be a great way of helping

them be less intimidated by us skaters. Anyhow, they are open to

discussion with us, in varying degrees, because, really - we all want the

same thing - a great park for everyone. With an amazing skate facility as

well!

So thanks to everyone who took the time to write an email, come out to the

event, show up for any or all of the meetings - it seems like our hard

work has paid off.

See ya tomorrow at the meeting,

Kim and Derek

ff87kim@vfs.com

www.downspace.com

www.theformlab.com

Go to Antisocial this Saturday Dec 2nd at 8pm. Spend an evening remembering Lee Matasi and Rachel Davis. Bring your skate for brand new mini ramp sesh. By donation. All proceeds will go to building Leeside memorial Park.