Why we need a skatepark in the Northwest area
Why we need a skatepark in the Northwest area
By: Joe MangisiTopics: Skateboard park
My name is Joe Mangisi. I live in the Northwest area. I have a lovely wife and four delightful kids. On some Saturdays our kids(2boys/2girls), ages 11,9,8 and 4 go across town to the skateboard area of Beech park. I took up longboarding last Summer. I am now hooked. I believe that I am one of the few (lucky) fathers that have girls that skateboard. However, I believe that our area is long overdue for a skate park of our own.
The reason I am writing this article is that I have noticed the new park at the intersection of Old Farm and Noriega. I contacted the city and found out that NOR is in charge of its development. I emailed an inquiry regarding a possible skate park area. I also expressed that some of the reasons that we should have a skatepark in this area are: one,we have enough playgrounds, swings,slides,etcetera;two,any fool can tell by the outstanding number of kids skating in our area that their is a definite interest ;three, not all kids want to participate in all team sports , if at all and four, many kids that frequent the parks are too big-they are teenagers! which suggests that they want a park that is more geared to their interests. A helpful Mr. Colon Bywater responded with a 7 paragraph correspondence outlining the reasons why grantors and the powers that be have hindered their longtime attempts to build a skate park.
He told me that the grantors are very specific as to what can or cannot be built.Furthermore, only two people showed support for a skate park in our new park. I know that there are way more people than that in the Northwest area that want this to happen!The grantors will not let their money be spent on a skate park unless it is a low income area! Oildale may get one before the Northwest area.It is still possible to have one built in the new park at Old Farm/Noriega.It wiilo cost about $500,000.He commended my inquiriy and suggested that I start mobilizing an effort to show support and build support. I thought, "How am i going to do that?". I am now researching how to start a petition.
So if you see me and my supporters skating around to get signatures you will now know why. We want a skate park. Our kids deserve one. If the parks are going to continue to be built then it is time that we let our voices be heard as to what kind of parks we want in our neighborhood. We live here, our kids live here and may have families here in the very near future. You the reader may take up skate boarding in the future, like me, when you're forty.The teenagers and othe r skaters need a place to go that caters to their needs. It is our tax monies. It is our neighborhood. We like to skate. Their is no skate park here. Let's let the powers that be know that a skate park is not just for low income areas.It is time. Time for our families and citizens to enjoy a nice skatepark.
The following is a link to an online petition for the proposed Northwest skatepark:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nwskatepark/signatures
