Caught in the act: Skateboaders damaging public property.
By:Cindyk. I talked to our Assemblyman Mark Schroeder last week as he looked at the damage made to the Cazenovia Street Gardens. He said it would be nice to have pictures of these kids destroying this property.
So here it is: Today three teens rolled up and pulled a brick of wax out of their bag before attempting their skateboard tricks. It is suspected they had a scanner on them because they fled minutes before the police did a drive by.
I hope this can help put a stop to the irresponsibility that is out there. Maybe arrest them and teach them a lesson?
Comment by Chris — September 16, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
Or some community service to make up for some of the damage they caused
There is a theory I always believed in… if you work for your neighborhood, your neighborhood will work for you.
Comment by Cindyk — September 16, 2007 @ 6:28 pm
This is our future. We are doomed.
Comment by Chili Willie — September 17, 2007 @ 5:25 am
Personally I think that all students should have to perform so many hours of community service per year. I know that the school I went to implemented this program the year after I graduated and I think it is a good program. Not only does it help the community but it also gives the kids a chance to open up their eyes and see the damage that is being done and just how much work it takes to fix even the smallest things. Just my opinion though.
Comment by chris_h_23 — September 17, 2007 @ 5:49 am
Maybe that community service could be to build the structures in an area where it was more appropriate to skate. I bet these very same kids would be thrilled to help out.
They aren’t skating there because they want to damage the ledge. They’re skating there because it’s the best ledge around. All you need to do is build a better one elsewhere.
Comment by Peter Whitley — September 30, 2007 @ 7:49 am
A story from Denver, CO
http://www.westword.com/2001-07-19/news/a-tough-grind/print
A simple skatepark
http://www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org/forum/download.php?id=3087
http://www.sk8sa.org/
Comment by Debi — October 3, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
These days, any architect involved in urban planning and any city that has seen its share of skateboarding “damage” should realize that putting a knee-high concrete retaining wall on a city sidewalk is akin to building a skate spot. Don’t act surprised when skaters start using it. It’s like when cities build structures that look fun to climb on. Kids are going to climb on them, even if you don’t want them to.
Remove the wax with steam, figure out how to skate-stop the flower box in an visually-pleasing way, and at the same time have the city pour a very similar retaining wall (same height, same width, same dimensions, but with angle irons on top) somewhere else nearby that the skaters are allowed to use. The skate ledge does not have to be a complete flower box, but just one of the walls.
Stuff like this shows how easy it would be to make skaters happy. Pour a ledge or an embankment here and there that the skaters are allowed to use, and get smart about how non-skateboarding elements are designed.
quote from
http://www.skatersforpublicskateparks.org/
Comment by Debi — October 3, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
On the flip side, most publicly funded skate parks do not require safety gear or liability waivers, because the prevailing legal wisdom is that doing so actually increases a city’s liability exposure. “Fortunately, because a lot of other cities built skate parks before us, we were able to research what works in terms of liability,” says Foster. “And what we heard, consistently, is that the best thing to do is simply treat the skate park like any other facility in our parks and recreation system.” In other words, if the city doesn’t require bicyclists to wear helmets when they ride on public paths, why should they make skateboarders wear helmets when they skate in the public park? “The skate park will have the same rules posted as any park,” says Foster. “No alcohol, park closes at 11 p.m., and use at your own risk.”
quote from:
http://www.westword.com/2001-07-19/news/a-tough-grind/print
Comment by Debi — October 3, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
I think it is awesome that you got double your moneys worth on those planters. Buffalo should be happy that you only paid for planters but got a skatespot as well. If only you could stretch all tax dollars that way!
Just think, if you could say catch a ride with a Policeman who just happend to be going downtown, that would help the environment by carpooling, you’d feel safer than riding the bus and save cab fare. That should be law, Police have to give rides to citizens if they are goin that way…it fits right in the serve part of the motto. Plus it would be great if people were able to just ride around with the police and get to know them…sorry for getting off track.
All goverment/tax funded property belongs to the people and it would be great if everyone approached that public property with the zeal that these young Skaters do.
Comment by Jimmy — October 4, 2007 @ 9:46 am
www.senecarising.org
Comment by Chris — October 6, 2007 @ 8:12 am
That’s a wonderful website and I applaud all of those who are working to make the area better.
It is interesting, however, that the statement made right on the front page ends with “and leave this community in a better state for the next generation.”
The “next generation” is made up of all kinds of individuals, including skateboarders. Seems to me that, if Seneca cares so much about the next generation, someone would be able to come up with a solution better than “Maybe arrest them and teach them a lesson”.
Comment by Maryk — October 8, 2007 @ 5:58 am
Any suggestions?
Comment by Chris — October 8, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
There have been many suggestions made on this blog. The easiest and most cost effective seems to be getting the decorative skate stoppers for the walls you are seeing damaged. I looked on the website someone suggested and they are very nice-looking small decorations you put on the wall which makes it impossible for skaters (and bikers) to use it.
After that, the parents of the skaters should get together and try to see if it is possible to get some assistance to build a skatepark.
No one is suggesting that the skaters be allowed to continue damaging the concrete but there are some other, very workable, alternatives.
Comment by Maryk — October 9, 2007 @ 5:33 am
I’ve not seen the skate stoppers you speak of. I wonder if there would be like a thick plastic strip that could be fastened to the top of the concrete as to stop to damage. I agree that the parents of the skaters should get together and see what can be done to get them some place to skate.
Comment by Chris — October 9, 2007 @ 8:46 am
Go to www.skatestoppers.com
They do have the plastic strips you mentioned but they also have some really nice decorative ones that would not only be functional to stop skaters and bikers, but would actually look nice and part of the decoration.
I think they can be installed onto existing concrete as well as be used in new construction.
Comment by Maryk — October 9, 2007 @ 11:01 am
I think that the decorative strips may be a good option. I looked at the skatestoppers as well. They are kind of scary, I would think if a kid were to try to skate on it they would catch on the skatestopper and break their skull open. I don’t want to see anyone hurt. But again, if they were there they might think twice.
Comment by Chris — October 9, 2007 @ 7:57 pm
There is a petition going for public skatepark in Buffalo, NY.
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt is supporitng it.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Buffalowaterfrontskatepark?e
Comment by Debij — October 11, 2007 @ 11:05 am
yeah im sure they had a scanner (moron)… we will skate everything in front of us… a skatepark wont stop people from skateboarding true skate spots. real ledges are always better… have fun
Comment by not a retard — April 21, 2008 @ 2:46 pm
SKATEBOARDING IS NOT A CRIME!
What you should do is put in a skatepark, maybe more then one. Plus, I bet there were no ‘NO SKATEBOARDING’ signs on the sidewalk or by the spot. THis immediately means skatespot.
Comment by decablo — May 5, 2008 @ 4:36 pm