Due to the pandemic more people started trying new things. Some of those things may have included a skate board, scooter, or a bike, and they would put two and two together and bring those new things to the skate park. More and more people are picking up extreme sports and it needs room to grow.

Which is why I feel that there should be funding local skate parks.

Professionals have a huge impact on the youth, wowing them, and inspiring them to do exactly what they just saw. Pro level skateboarders had their debut in the Olympics. Skaters from all over the world came together during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, competed against each other, and the winner of one of the skating events was a teenager from America. He grew up skating at his local skate park with his friends.

The sport is growing and people need to allow kids a safe place to go and skate.

If local skate parks are able to get the right funding they will be able to expand with marketing, new ramps, spots to ride, and even lessons on how to skate. Skate boarding is becoming a bigger community than how it used to be, and the skate community is a lot more welcoming and community friendly than some stereotypes may suggest about the average skater.

In my personal experience, the skate community is very mellow. They are nice people and are just there to skate. No other thing matters other than having fun and landing that next trick. Regulars at the skate park gave me tips to help me land new tricks, and helped teach me how to be a better skater. After a while I was good enough to help others when they were struggling.

If more towns were to put up skate parks then more people would have the ability to prosper at the park regardless of what they ride, because not every town has parks that people can go to to skate. People commute miles to parks just so they can skate in a place where people will not judge them or call the police as they skate public stairs.  Not everyone can be able to make it all the way to a skate park which causes them to street skate.

Street skating is when people ride their skateboards around the common areas in most towns, using staircases, railings, benches, curbs, and ledges of businesses and stores. Not many people are fond of skaters coming around and skating in front of where they have customers walking in and out. By giving skaters a place dedicated to what they love it will keep them off the street and controlled to the one place they can thrive.

Skating means so much to so many different people. Some people use it as a way to cope or clear their head, while others use it as a way of fitness, burning calories by having fun. Others skate as a hobby, something fun for them to do or to be passionate about.

It is for sure something that should be talked about during town meetings. Members of the skating community need more room to skate and be in their happy place.

When the proper precautions are taken skating is not as dangerous as people make it out to be. Not every person is going to be skating the biggest ramps at the park. Those would obviously be taken on by the more experienced riders. This leaves most people on the beginner and intermediate parts of the park. When wearing the proper protection when riding you are not going to injure yourself. They make pads for early every part of your body but most people would recommend knee, elbow and even palm padding to prevent scuffing your hands when you fall, and always wear a helmet when skating.

Ways that I believe would benefit and help fund local skate parks could be holding fundraisers where people come together for food, drinks, and to see more experienced skaters skate. The proposition of funding for skate parks could be taken to the town hall, and brought up, and voted on at town meetings, where a group could campaign for the funding for skate parks in the area, or for the possibility of a new one being if towns do not have an area already.

Skate parks do not take much to be put together. Ramps can be made out of wood and other similar materials. A skate park could be easily built as long as there is a nice flat surface, like an old tennis or basketball court. Some skate parks local to Sutton High School have the same concept of ramps built and placed on a flat top.

Long story short: as long as people are there to put the time and work in funding for local skate parks could be a very possible and some what affordable goal.