Posted by Gavin J Vincent
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1271995570269440.xml&coll=3
A recent article that expresses some of the (pretty impressive) ideas that are coming out of the Skate Park meetings: (More later!)
Easton skaters club heading to Battle for the Bronx
Friday, April 23, 2010
By RUDY MILLER
The Express-Times
EASTON Local skaters will go to a New York City skating haven for tips on how to build a successful skate park.
Local teens and adult skate enthusiasts are invited to join the Easton Skaters Stay off the Streets Club for the trip May 8 to the Battle for the Bronx in the Bronx Park East Skate Park, officials said Thursday.
The skating competition is scheduled 1 to 6 p.m. Participants can talk, learn and skate in the contest.
"There are also some experts there who have been building parks and raising
funds," said Dean Young, executive director of the Easton Boys and Girls Club. The skating club is an offshoot of the Boys and Girls Club.
"We're looking to go down there to learn something from them," Young said. "It's fun but also educational."
Tentative fees are $20 for Boys & Girls Club members, $30 for nonmembers and $40 for adults. The bus trip departs 9:30 a.m. and returns about 9 p.m. to the Easton Teen Center, 1101 Northampton St.
The teens meet every week to discuss plans for a skate park at Easton's Lower Hackett Park. After some negotiation, they agree they want a fence removed at the park and they'd like it open from dusk to 10 p.m. The brunt of the work must be shouldered by the young skaters if the plan is going to work, Young said.
"It has to be driven from the young people, and they're doing a good job responding to the concept of having a park and them being about to shape it and direct it," he said.
Other skate club related events include a skating/biking session with ramps and rails temporarily set up 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Lower Hackett Park on Wood Avenue. City public works Director Dave Hopkins will attend to answer questions along with city Councilwoman Elinor Warner.
On May 10, Friendly's restaurant on William Penn Highway in Palmer Township will donate 15 percent of all sales from 5 to 8 p.m.
"The interest is still great," Young said. "They're working really hard at it, thinking about businesses to create to raise dollars. They know it's not a short-term effort that has to be put in to make this work."
Lehigh Valley Editor Rudy Miller can be reached at 610-258-7171 or rmiller@express-times.com. Talk about issues in your town at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.
Here's a link to the "Battle4 the Bronx" website- have a look.
www.battle4thebronx.com
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2 comments:
Hey G, did you go to this? If so how was it?
It's great to see kids so on fire to make a difference in their neighborhood. So many kids lack the vision to see beyond what is already there!
I wish them much success!
The skate park is one of the best examples I've seen of youth-driven mobilization in our city. I applaud everyone involved.
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