Midwest Skatepark Survey

Why Concrete?

2008-02-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

I won't belabor this issue. Concrete is the ONLY medium for the construction of a municpal skatepard. It retains a "due care" state, without the kind of maintenance that is necessary with other media. Your skatepark will WORK at acceptable safety levels for YEARS.

Look at Columbus' 20+ year-old concrete park. This is the ONLY way to create a park. Not to mention sculptability, durability, and the undeniable popularity of the medium. A quality, concrete skateboarding medium in our neighborhood will ensure a constant flow of people to our business and idea-pool.

A quality concrete skatepark in several neighborhoods on the bus routes will slingshot Cincinnati into a brighter future. There is no doubt that a city that creates media for this culture is going to be in the travel plans of people from many states and countries.

Research is solid: Skateboarding is Safe! (relatively)

2008-02-06T16:41:00.000-08:00

I've been holding off on posting on the issue of the relative safety of skateboarding because I have no background in statistics or medicine. In my own 22 years of skateboarding I have seen several broken bones--wrists and ankles--and innumerable bruises and scrapes... I have never seen a head-injury happen, outside lacerating my own forehead in a backyard pool in the 22nd year of my own skateboarding carreer. what a dope.

anyway, I want to share with you this research. Just click the word "this" in the previous sentence. It is significant, reliable, and typical of all the other results I've viewed.

The bottom line is, skateboarding in concrete parks is not as dangerous as basketball.

Another consideration I'd like to share is the strong possibility that skateboarding youth are less prone to repetitive stress injuries, since there are usually no parents or coaches pressuring them.

I worked with high school youth for years and it was sickening to watch adults pressure them into horriffic injuries. I saw a sixteen year old with his knee unzipped twice to repair destroyed ligaments--all for touchdowns. This kind of injury is quite rare in skateboarding; especially at that age.

Some thoughts.

Sign the Petition

2008-01-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

Click Here to sign a petition, eh?

Northside Community Council: December Meeting

2008-01-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

Lew attended and presented for a minute, fielding questions from the floor. Northside remains the most supportive and energized neighborhood in all of Cincinnati. We are now working to form a base of local skaters to design and push for the park, while scanning for local businesspeople and neighbors who can vocally/politically push for the park.

Thanks for the overwhelming support. We look forward to presenting our design in either the February or March meetings. Hopefully we'll be deep in fundraising and final tweaks on design, with full support of the CRC, by April.

Overarching Goal

2008-01-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

development of quality skateboarding parks that lie within easy access of Metro routes.

Philosophical Question:

2007-04-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

In this month's (May) issue of SLAP Magazine, a skateboarding publication, there is an article on p.12 that is worth considering. It is a short piece that simply asks:

Why is it acceptable, even commendable, to receive injuries in school sports? Why is it Okay for my young friend Cliff to blow out his Knee in football? Nobody minded.

And in juxtaposition:

Why is it so unacceptable, almost universally condemned, to receive injuries while skateboarding?

Please comment.

Skateboarding Injuries

2007-04-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know what perspective a comparison of injury rates between skateboarding and school sports?
You will be surprised!

I will give you some anecdotal material right now, and will supply more stats, as time allows:

On Saturday, I enjoyed the Grand Opening of the brand new Delhi Skatepark. a Great park, well-designed, and worth the gas money for Cincy residents...

600 people showed up! Packed in, skating together, there were somewhere between 2-400 people participating at once! It was incredible.

There were two injuries!
one-a head injury--a little boy, about 8 years old riding a bike. Looked like a bruised orbital.
the other--a typical ankle twist--probably a break. More time for homework...

There was a twisted shoulder and a bruised palm as well.

600 people.
NO FIGHTS

600 people.
2 injuries worth mentioning...

All while SKATEBOARDING!!!!

2 visits from the paramedics!

Meanwhile, the Women's softball league had 3 visits from the paramedics! That day! yet one person had the perspective, "This skatepark was a big mistake. A big mistake." Upon the second call to paramedics...

Pish Posh. That's what I say.
I confidently assert that, after seeing the stats, you'll agree that Skateboarding is healthier and safer than School sports!
Prepare to be surprised.

500+ skateboarders packed in like sardines, taking turns, sharing, helping each other out... and we're surprised at a couple of injuries!
Why is it that wen a kid gets injured in a football game he's a hero?
...and when he (or she--girls are allowed on the skateboarding team) gets hurt skating, he or she is an IDIOT?

This mentality will be destroyed by simple facts.

Skateboarding Saved My Life

2007-04-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Skateboarding, and the diversity of its practicioners, has expansive potential to affect inner city youth. Please enjoy this little clip that shows how Skateboarding positively affected one young man.

Positive Aspect:

2007-04-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

The McKee Center's dude, Don, called me the other day, asking if I was interested in helping with the youth leadership programs. (I have a ton of experience and background in that stuff)

Yes.

I'll start an initiative that will get at least one great skatepark built in Northside. Then, I'll be available to work with tons of youth in that skatepark. There, they will discover alternatives in life that they would never have, outside the power of skateboarding to bring together people from all walks of life.

Artists
Accountants
Lawyers
...not too many doctors...

There are skaters who will be there whose lives are easily shared over the waits between runs. The kids of our neighborhood will be exposed to PEOPLE. Good people. there are so many.

Besides that, the facility will be a wide open opportunity for camps and classes!

Think about that and leave comments.

Skatepark Profile: Sessions

2007-04-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Skatepark Profile: Louisville, KY

2007-04-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here's what you get when a city awakens to the potential of skateboarding: a world class park, downtown, incorporated into the banks project. Awaken, O mighty giant Cincinnati!

SkatePark Profile: Florence, KY

2007-04-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Park Profile: Dry Ridge

2007-03-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'll be posting the footage I'm collecting. Dry Ridge is my first ever video editing job, so please just sit back and relax. Get the big picture. Parks are made of concrete. Parks are open. Parks are empty during the early hours of the day, when I'm free to take footage... with my five year old, seth, in tow.

Dry Ridge, people. Little, tiny, Dry Ridge--GETS IT. A good skatepark is a magnet for good things.

Venice Beach, CA

2007-03-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here is your example for a city that has accepted skate culture to it's benefit. From VB to Santa Monica, there is skateable terrain, and skateboards are a common mode of trans- portation. I skated a full 15 miles that day, meeting people from all over the world who had come to that area to enjoy that open culture. I skated most of the day with Iggy, a young man from England who had come to skate Venice Beach.

The photos here are of some of the simple street obstacles that VB provided for the skaters. Besides this, there are numerous parks and spots. It is a great feeling to be able to jump on my skate and fly, without wondering about a 400 dollar ticket.

2004 Article Begs Question: Why Not, Cincinnati?

2007-03-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

"Greater Cincinnati" boasts (in 2004) Eleven Skateboarding Parks! Why are there no plans for providing a quality (world-caliber) skateboarding attraction in our City Limits?

Click here for an article that Begs it hard

Way back in 2004 this was going on. I moved into Cinci in 2004.

Northside, where I live, understands the importance of Skate Culture. It is not a subculture anymore. The influence is in fashion, music, art of all media. The Skate-Culture has soaked into commercials and youth culture.

Hopefully N-side will lead the City in the incorporation of Skate-able terrains in the Limits. Everyone knows that Louisville had the foresight to include a World-Class park in their city plans. They're not sorry, either.

Park Profile: Anderson/Beechmont

2007-03-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

Click Here for the Anderson Park District's Website description of this Skatepark

Local Park Profile: St. Bernard Mini-Park

2007-03-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

This park is located in St. Bernard, about 10 minutes outside of Northside. It can't be more than 1500 square feet. Maybe less than a thousand.
It is concrete, open till 10pm, and has recommendations posted. That is the practice. Post recommendations. Nationwide, that's enough.

It is part one of a phasic proposal. We hope they'll build the rest. I skate this park, personally, a LOT. I go there in the mornings to practice, being an old guy. Consider it like a morning run.

Here's a 2004 Enquirer article on the parks in the area:
Click the text for the full article:
St. Bernard Skate Park
Ross Avenue Park
St. Bernard
(513) 641-3137

The details: The first public skate park in the Tristate, this small concrete park is a haven for those seeking a simple skating experience - if you can use it. The park is restricted for use by St. Bernard residents only, so you might want to be prepared to flash an ID.

March 19: Northside Community Council Meeting #2

2007-03-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

We appeared for the second time, having been told we'd be on the agenda, to sit through the agenda-ed items of business (this time NOT boring) without being announced. Grabbing a copy of the agenda, we realize, again, that we're not on the agenda.

interesting.

Not a problem at all. We got a chance to talk for 2 minutes and hi-five the crowd. Hopefully we'll be on the agenda for real, next time, and get to show our presentation that will convince the folks in government and finance that a skatepark will affect this community and this city in really dynamic, positive ways.

Our presentation is going to answer definitively any questions about what kind of park to build, how they're managed, how many cities are doing it, and how to finance it.

Liability
Rules
Access
Location...

the works.

We also handed out "the card". for 2 dollars and a buck fifty for cutting, you have in your hands the contact info for discussion and update of the Skatepark Initiative.

next N-side Community Council Meeting: Monday April 16th.
The presentation's on.
We'll have a video and some art.
5 minutes
many man hours.
just the right information.

Feb. 26 First Presentation: Northside Community Council

2007-03-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Ali Calis and Lew Ross (me) got to do a quick little plug for our upcoming presentation to the Council. We'll have the whole 5 minute dealio next month. Needless to say, we were hard-pressed to match the breakneck speed of business there, but everyone was pretty kind with us new guys.

Ali and I will both join the council next month. 3rd Mondays.

It was really interesting that a local Scout troop was there--my son's. We didn't know, and he didn't go, but they are totally behind it. In fact, when their campout was cancelled, I took a couple of them to Ollies, in Northern Kentucky.

That meeting was on Feb. 26th.