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Hillyard Skatepark Opening
Spokane's Promise
By Andrew Greene & Jennifer Wagner
I’m not much of a skater. I don’t even own a skateboard
with which to grind. Most of the population doesn’t skate
either. I have no survey or Gallup poll to back me up, but I don’t
see the highways and byways clogged with skateboard traffic or
parking garages with entire floors dedicated to tiny 1 ft. by
2ft. “Board Parking Only” spaces. It would be great
though. Think about how much cleaner our air would be? How much
more exercise we would all get? Teens would be less likely to
start smoking if they knew they had to skate 3 miles to school,
work, and home everyday.
Our youth, however, are skating in ever-growing numbers. Skateboarding
is the fastest growing sport in America right now. With more and
more kids taking up this hobby, the need for safe areas to skate
in becomes more pertinent. The park also presents the perfect
opportunity to provide Promise 1 – Caring Adults, Promise
2 – Safe Places, and exercise for Promise 3 – Healthy
Start & Future. Hillayard’s new 3-acre skate park in
north Spokane provides just this outlet for youth. It’s grand
opening was Saturday, April 17th. Some of the officials in attendance
were Mayor Jim West, Miss Spokane (Rochelle Rock), Desi Bucknell
from the Hillary Festival Association, Jeff Halstead of the Spokane
Park Board, and Mike Fagan, chair of the Hillyard Community Steering
Committee.
spokanespromise.org
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