PHOENIX
AUGUST 31st, 2010
Arizona Republic Article about Phoenix's 5th Skatepark
Yup, Phoenix is planning their 5th skatepark, and just got a donation of 50 G's from Rob Dyrdek to help fund it. The above pic gives an idea of what it will be like (The above mock-up is of the DC Skate Plaza in Kettering, Ohio, designed with input from Dyrdek.) The article makes no mention, however, if bikes are going to be allowed in the street plaza-style skatepark. Since none of Phoenix's 4 skateparks allow bikes, and Phoenix officials have been loth to let bikes in or build a new bike park, I'm gonna go way out on a limb and guess they don't plan to allow bikes in this one, either.
Here's the link to the article:
If you're a rider that resides in Phoenix, e-mail me through this site to get in on our strategy to get this skatepark to allow bikes. If enough Phoenix riders will get off their collective asses, we'll get into this park. Trust me, there's a good reason why none of Phoenix's skateparks allow bikes, and it is that Phoenix riders have been lazy pieces of shit. One thing Phoenix riders can do right away is call the article's author, Emily Gersema, at 602-444-8262 to let her know that Phoenix bike riders want in that skatepark, and she needs to include that angle in her next article about it.
Phoenix update-December 12th, 2008
Here’s an article that came out a few months ago and is still burning on ABC-15’s website:
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Reported by:
Lori Jane Gliha
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The Arizona Republic also did an article with these kids:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/09/20080909ar-bmxpetition0908.html
I’m psyched that such young kids are getting involved in politics to fight for what they believe in. They’re doing it on their own, too. They have never contacted me or anyone from The 3BC, and I have no idea if they even know the history of our fight for legal places to ride in Ahwatukee, the Valley and throughout Arizona. What I do know is that these kids believe Phoenix can do better than a skatepark that discriminates against kids who ride bikes. Chandler, Glendale, Tempe, Mesa and Fountain Hills have proven this theory very successfully in the Valley, and it’s high time that Phoenix stops discriminating as well. A major thing I learned in our bikes in skateparks movement was never to do anything without talking to the press. Big props to Tyler and Tommy for obtaining such great media coverage.
One favor I ask of everybody, though. Don’t tell KC Badger about what these kids are doing, because then he'd probably try to sabotage their efforts the same way he sabotaged The 3BC’s efforts. And don’t bother telling Ryan Fudger about it either, because he won’t cover it. But he’ll sure as shit be out there when they do get a new park or access to Pecos Park. Ryan has absolutely NO PROBLEM with shooting photos and making his magazine money off the labor of others, he just won’t support people getting legal places to ride a product that is pretty much outlawed in most places.
Sign the petition that Tyler and Tommy have online at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ibmx/
I signed it a few weeks ago, and here’s the comment I left:
Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton has known about this issue since 2003, when he attended the grand opening of the Pecos Skatepark, at which BMX bike riders were protesting. When members of The Bike, Blade and Board Coalition (3BC) approached Phoenix City Council a few months later asking Phoenix to provide a legal place for BMX bike riders, Stanton told Mayor Gordon that he would work on a solution with the 3BC. Since then, he has NEVER returned any phone calls and has NEVER worked on any solution for bike riders. You kids need to start a petition to recall Greg Stanton from public office for his great failure to meet the needs of children who desperately need positive activities and outlets. Now THAT petition will get his attention! Learn more on this situation at: http://www.psychicflyingmonkey.com/phoenix.htm
Phoenix update-April 4, 2006
As if it wasn't bad enough that Councilman Greg Stanton totally blew off working on providing a place for BMX bike riders to ride in Phoenix, now a policeman is on duty at Paradise Valley Skatepark every day, all day. This wasn't something that parks and rec came up with, either, and it's not funded through them. This came from Councilwoman Peggy Neely, and this is regular city money that's paying from $40,000 to $50,000 a year for a cop to babysit the skatepark. What an incredible use of taxpayer money.
Phoenix update-September 2, 2004
You know how I told you in the last update that Councilman Stanton had volunteered to investigate the issue of a public place for BMX bike riders to go? As far as we can tell, he has simply blown us off. Our Phoenix 3BC Captain Matt Pinegar and 3BC Founder Rex Golos have tried contacting him numerous times, but have been repeatedly told by his aide that the Councilman would get back to them. He still hasn't gotten back to them, and it's been seven months.
Phoenix update-February 12, 2004
So you wanna know how the 3BC's appearance in front of the Phoenix City Council went yesterday? Well I'm glad you asked. As we expected, nobody was able to make it out but Rex, Matt Pinegar (the 3BC Captain for Phoenix), one other rider and myself. That's okay, though, because we brought 51 letters to the mayor from Phoenix citizens who are bmx riders, skateboarders, inline skaters, and supporters of our cause. All the letters expressed how something needed to be done for bike riders in Phoenix, whether it be to allow us into the existing skateparks or build new bikeparks or grindparks. After Rex and I spoke, Mayor Gordon told us that Councilman Stanton volunteered to follow up on the issue himself. It sounds like he will call some kind of meeting, so I'll keep you updated on that.
Phoenix update-February 4, 2004
CORRECTION! I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT ALLOWS FOR CITIZEN COMMENT IS NOT IN FACT ON TUESDAYS AT 2 PM! IT IS ON WEDNESDAYS AT 3 PM! I AM SORRY FOR NOT VERIFYING WHICH MEETING WAS THE RIGHT ONE FOR US TO SPEAK AT (PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL HAS 3 DIFFERENT MEETINGS A WEEK). I GOT THE ORIGINAL INFO FROM A VERY RELIABLE SOURCE, BUT EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES, I GUESS. MEMBERS OF THE BIKE, BLADE AND BOARD COALITION WILL BE SPEAKING IN THE CITIZEN COMMENT SECTION OF THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL MEETING THIS UPCOMING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, AT 3 PM. ONCE AGAIN, WE STILL NEED AS MANY RIDERS, PARENTS, AND SUPPORTERS AS POSSIBLE TO COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT ON THE COUNCIL. IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, MAKE SURE TO ARRIVE A LITTLE EARLIER THAN 3 PM TO FILL OUT A REQUEST TO SPEAK CARD. THE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 200 W. JEFFERSON STREET IN PHOENIX.
Phoenix update-January 21, 2004
The 3BC will be going to Phoenix City Council
on Tuesday, February 10th, 2004 to speak during the time allotted for citizen
comment. The meeting will start at 2 PM at the
City Council Chambers, located at 200 W. Jefferson St. in Phoenix. Once
again, we need as many riders, parents, and supporters to come out and show your
support to make a big impact on the council. If you wish to speak, show up
at 1:45 PM to sign up to speak. Now I am well aware that most of
you have school or work at 2 PM in the afternoon. I do too. But I'm
taking the afternoon off to attend, as are others. If at all possible,
take the afternoon off to make it to this meeting. This will mark the
first time we have gone to Phoenix City Council, and have interacted with
any Phoenix city officials ranking higher than park superintendent. If you
can't make it to the meeting, please at least e-mail the mayor and
council members telling them you want access to the parks or a new grindpark.
Mayor Phil Gordon and the rest of the city council's e-mail addresses can be
found on this page:
http://phoenix.gov/CITYGOV/electidx.html
Also, please cc me with your e-mails to the council
and I will print them out and present them during the meeting.
Phoenix update-July 27th, 2003
Well, it turns out Phoenix has just been yanking our crank and dicking around with us, so we need to go to the city council to get their attention. I will let everyone know the date and time when we decide to go. Just keep in mind it will be soon. We're going to need tons of riders and supporters at this council meeting, because Phoenix is huge, and they won't listen to what only a few people have to say. Remember that if we can get this bike ban lifted, that's three concrete parks for us right there.
Phoenix update-April 19th, 2003
Our meeting with Phoenix Parks and Rec went very well. It turns out Phoenix has already identified one potential site for a temporary solution for bikes--an old tennis court that ramps can be set up on. Phoenix had already spoken to a couple of ramp manufacturers about the cost, too. We gave them the list of concrete bike-friendly parks, along with letters from Las Vegas P&R and Santa Monica P&R. Rex and I will be meeting with them again within a month and a half, and the risk manager for Phoenix should be at this meeting. We are expecting to see something for bikes within the next two to three months.
Phoenix update-April 7th, 2003
I've got some great news about the effects the MB Jam/Protests have been having on the City of Phoenix. Mark Englehardt, Park Director of Desert West Skatepark, called Rex two days after the PV jam/protest. He said that the Park Director of PV Skatepark, the Park Director of what will soon be the Pecos Skatepark, and himself wanted to meet with Rex, Mark Leone (a skate/bike park designer) and myself to discuss what Phoenix can do for BMX bike riders. We will meet on April 16th and I sincerely hope I will be giving you a good report on here of a good outcome.
The Phoenix Situation
As most of you already know, Phoenix has two
skateparks, and they don't allow bikes--Desert West Skatepark and Paradise
Valley Skatepark. What you may not know is that yet another
bike-unfriendly park will be opened in the Ahwahtukee area of Phoenix in the
fall--Pecos Park.
At the MB Jam/Protest at PV Skatepark on March 23rd, 2003, we collected 14 letters to Mayor Skip Rimsza from Phoenix residents telling him about our needs. We added that to the 17 we got in one day at Desert West Skatepark, bringing us to a total of 31 letters. We still need a total of about 75 letters, though, because Phoenix is a big city and the mayor needs to see that a significant number of citizens want something for bikes bad enough to write a letter about it. We do have an in with the mayor's staff, so they will definitely get to him and not get "conveniently lost" in the shuffle. Another bonus is that his kids just started riding BMX.
You can e-mail your letters to me at beardedlady@psychicflyingmonkey.com and I will print them out and we will get them to the mayor. Or you can send them by mail to: Jason Ryan, 7701 E. Osborn Rd. Apt. #255W, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
