w atch what they do an d yo u’l l be am az ed. But w i th £ 1 0 0 f i n es fo r skaters at the ci vi c s q uare introduced in M arch , th ere are now few pl aces we can s kate i n o ur own town. Thi s is why you m i g h t f i n d us e nj oy ing the streets an d par ks o f other cities whi ch are m o re to lerant of skaters . I f yo u s po ke to the local skate rs th em s el ves , ra ther than desig n ers an d tow n planners, you’d f i n d th at we don’t need a huge s kate par k w ith tons of conc rete. We’d love a huge p ar k, b ut we’re al s o ver y e asil y pleased an d do n ’t n eed much. To create an i n do o r o r o utdoor sp ace fo r s katebo arders to use freel y, where ever ybo d y i s happy, we’d j ust need a s m o o th su r face, som e blocks , rai l s , ban ks and stairs. Most s kate par ks bui l t re centl y seem to be taki n g th at approach and they’re wo r ki n g o ut to b e better than ever. P laz a-typ e skate par ks are s o go od b ecause they h ave ex actl y
w h at th e s ka te rs n e e d to s ka te . T h es e n e w p a rk s a re b e i n g s ka te d m o re th a n eve r by t h e c u rre n t gen erat i on , olde r ge n e ra t i on a n d f uture s ka te rs . B y h av in g a v a rie d par k, s ka te rs p rogre s s m u c h q ui cker a s t h ey h ave m ore c h oice o f w h at to s ka te , a l l w i t h i n a s h o r t d i s t a n ce f rom e a c h ot h e r, i n s tead of h av in g to go s p ot h un ti n g for t h e i r ide a l le d ge or per fectly a n gle d b a n k . T h es e p l a z a p a rk s h ave t re e s i n th em and t h e le d ge s a re p l a n te rs w i th g re e n e r y in t h e m i dd le . I t ’ s n i ce to k n ow you h ave s h a de fro m th e t re e s w h e n it ge t s too h o t o r sh e l te r w h e n it ra in s . I t feel s m o re l i ke t h e s t re e t s . I t ’ s appeal in g to t h e s ka te rs a n d to m em bers of t h e p u b l ic . I t j u s t m akes you fe e l good b e fore yo u’ve eve n s ka te d , a n d t h i s feel i n g u s u a l l y le a d s to a good s es s i o n a n d a l l a rou n d go o d vi b e s .
O t h e r s ka te rs h ave d i f fe re n t v ie w s on p a rk s a n d s ka t in g i n ge n e ra l . B u t s ay i n g t h a t , a la r ge a m ou n t of t h e n e w ge n e ra t i on a re b e in g b rou gh t u p on t h e se p l a z a p a rk s a n d t h ey s e e m to b e work in g p e rfe c t l y, b e c a u se a s I s ay, t h e s ka te rs a re ge t ti n g w h a t t h ey w a n t a n d eve r y b ody i s h a p py. Me p e rs on a l l y ? I ’d love on e of t h e s e p a rk s in D on c a s te r b ec a u se it wou ld b e n e f i t m a ny p e op le , b u t h av in g b e e n de n ie d a n ex te n s i on of ou r loc a l p a rk , a n d de n ie d f u n d in g for a n e w p a r k i n E l m f ie ld , I h ave n ’ t got my hop e s u p. I ’d j u s t l ike to h ave Ci v ic b a c k . E ve n t h ou gh t h e le d ge s a re a l re a d y s ka te s top p e d , i t ’ s sti ll good v i b e s . Rol l Foreve r. End
But al l t h i s is com i n g f rom a s treet ska te r’ s p oin t of v ie w.
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