CCS BLOG

MAYOR DECLARES SKATEBOARD WEEK IN VANCOUVER

With skateboarding getting bigger and bigger each year, it seems as if all towns and cities are doing nowadays are creating bans and upping fines for skateboarding. With confiscated boards, crappy parks, and helmet tickets at skateparks becoming the norm, it's got us thinking that most cities have gone crazy -- all except for one city, that is. In honor of Go Skateboarding Day, this week the city of Vancouver announced that June 15th - 22nd would be declared Skateboard Week in the city. That's right, Mayor Gregor Robertson himself has recognized skateboarding as a growing activity among the youth, and instead of making laws to tone it down, he's fully embracing it. Here's what Commissioner Sara Blyth had to say:

"Skateboarding has come so far. Only 10 years ago it was illegal to skateboard in the streets, skateboards were being confiscated and ticketing boarders. Skateboarders were buying boards with no place to use them. We are now are working from a skateboard strategy to give skaters alternatives. In the past ten years we have seen six new parks and a relaxation of the ban on skateboarding in the streets. Vancouver is now a Mecca for skateboarding and people come from all over the world to use our skateboard parks."

Have you ever thought you'd hear a politician say that? Hopefully other cities will follow suit and take the time out to build some parks we'd actually skate, and embrace skating as a popular and healthy activity. View the full article here.

Posted at 02:56PM Jun 17, 2009 by CCS in skatenews  |  Comments[0]