SURPRISE
November 9, 2007
A new article appeared in the Arizona Republic a couple weeks back about the Surprise BMX/Skatepark. Seems the parks and rec board thinks it's a good idea to have separate days for skaters and bike riders. We at the 3BC have been working with cities for six years on bmx/skatepark issues, and we have learned that having separate days for users does not work. They tried it in the skateparks of Santa Clarita, California, and Marana, Arizona. After a couple months the skaters realized how stupid it was that they had to sit on the sidelines while the bike riders rode, and the bike riders realized the same thing about the skaters' turn. The different user groups knew they could get along, so they started breaking the rules by co-mingling. Surprise, please don't start your great new park off on the wrong foot. Don't make it so that kids don't want to obey your rules from the very beginning because you haven't done your due diligence. Co-mingling of bike riders and skaters is legal and working excellently in the bmx/skateparks of Fountain Hills, Mesa, Glendale, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Show Low, Douglas, Nogales, and hundreds of other bmx/skateparks across the U.S. Comment on the article while it's still up at http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1014skate1014.html
We've got a good 3BC representative up in Surprise, Ray Telles. The problem is, the guy is virtually impossible to get ahold of unless you go to his house. Never answers the old telefono. I've been wanting to talk to him about this new development for a while, so if any of yous guys that ride at his house regularly could ask him to call me, I'd much appreciate it. Otherwise I'll have to train some messenger pigeons from birth to communicate with Ray, and we all know how stinky baby birds are.
Here's a press release from the City of Surprise website:
Resident Input Sought for Surprise Skate Park
SURPRISE, AZ (February 1, 2007)
Surprise City Staff and the skate park design architects (Site Design) are asking for resident input regarding the city’s first skate park.
Residents are being encouraged to provide their thoughts on design concepts at a meeting scheduled for February 20, 6 p.m., at the Surprise Regional Library, 16089 N. Bullard. The meeting will be hosted by city staff and the Surprise Recreation Advisory Board.
For more information on the skate park project or the Community & Recreation Services Advisory Board meeting, call 623.266.4500.
We need as many skaters, bike riders, inline skaters, scooter riders, parents and supporters as possible to come to this meeting. The 3BC will have representatives attending, and we're going to tell them they need to build an 80,000 square foot park that allows all users at all times. Surprise may be small now, but the need for a big park is there, and all parks and rec needs to do is look at how crowded Goodyear Skatepark is.