letter_stewart_5-28_skateboardTEXTBVNE wofibSumofibpimBINCAOeOutlawing skating is not the anwser

This letter is in response to David Keyes' editorial, May 27, 2004. The true issue here is the lack of a quality skatepark which would provide the kids a place to skate without harassment and provide the downtown area a quieter, safer, more shopping friendly environment.

Last year, skateboarding overtook organized baseball as the number one youth participatory activity in our nation. This is not a "small band" as you described, but the children of our future.

The city of Sandpoint spent $900,000 to build the most skateable facility in Sandpoint without considering potential side-effects of this decision. I'm not sure what recreational activities you enjoy, but I'd bet given the choice of using a facility that met the requirements perfectly or going to an inferior one because the other one wasn't intended for your use, you would pick the one that served your needs. As are the kids. The skating area at City Beach you mention just isn't as fun for the kids to skate, that's why they are at the fountain daily.

It's not the kids fault, nor should they be punished (with the exception of vandalism) for the city's lack of foresight in this issue. The City Council decided to spend $90,000 on new bathrooms at the fountain as opposed to building a skatepark.

Quite simply, until they are provided with a better place to skate, kids will continue to skate the fountain. Outlawing skating there will only result in providing an even heavier load on our already overworked legal system. The only sensible course of action is for the community and the city to unite in an effort to get a quality skatepark built (soon). And that is going to take money. I would encourage the DSBA to donate to the construction of our new skatepark. This would effectively clear your downtown streets and fountain of skateboarding activity. And would provide a safer skating environment for our children.

I would also encourage anyone reading this to donate money to the City Skatepark Committee at City Hall and encourage you to contact your City Council representative and let them know how important this issue is to our community.

Now is the time to come together and solve this problem, not point fingers and take it out on our children.

Actions speak louder than words.

Pasha Stewart

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