Oct 25, 2009 | By-laws, Skateboarding
Like many Calgary skateboarders Jeff Collins and his ten year old son Jack enjoy skating their back yard mini-ramp. Their fun is set to come to an end because after two years without a problem Calgary by-law officers have ordered the Collins’ to remove their ramp.
The Collins' ramp
In a recent survey of 61 Canadian cities and towns, Calgary stands alone at the only one with a ban on skateboard ramps. You won’t even need a permit in most of the municipalities that responded and when permits are required the limitations are usually very reasonable (height limits as high as 5m/16’ ). Clearly no one else thinks skate ramps are a problem so they clearly should not be an issue in Calgary.
The Collins’ are challenging the bylaw, starting by appealing the order to remove their ramp. Challenging a bylaw will not be cheap and the cost should be shared by the skate community in Calgary because the Collins’ are fighting for your right to have a mini-ramp or launch ramp too! If you want to see the bylaw overturned you and your parents need to do two things to help:
1. Make a cash donation to CASE who will use the money to help the Collins’ pay costs related to the bylaw challenge
- To direct your donation to the ramp bylaw challenge, please indicate so in the comments field or send an email to indicate your wishes
- If all money donated for the Ramp Bylaw challenge is not needed for it, the funds raised will be used by CASE to advance skateboarding in Calgary
2. Write your alderman and the mayor asking that the ban be lifted immediately because:
- The city has no reason to ban a healthy activity
- There are no similar bans on trampolines, swimming pools, ball hockey, volleyball, or other sports
- The noise by-law can address potential noise concerns
- No other Canadian city or town has an outright ban on skateboard ramps and few mention them in their land use bylaws
To help you with your letter:
If the state of skateboarding is going to improve in Calgary it will only happen if people like YOU get involved to make it happen. Changing the ramp bylaw is the first step in overcoming prejudice and getting skateboarding and skateboarders treated with respect. CASE hopes YOU will get involved starting with the ramp bylaw issue!
Oct 8, 2009 | By-laws, Skateboarding, Skateparks
Whether it’s a new concrete outdoor park or an indoor to skate in the winter, Calgary needs more skateparks. Our current options aren’t really cutting it. With the removal of Westside, Millennium Park is the only concrete skatepark in Calgary. Millennium Park is dated and has many features that aren’t even skateable (that’s being kind). Did you know that Calgary is the only major Canadian city that has an actual law that prohibits skateboard ramps? That means if you have a mini-ramp in your back yard or a little launch ramp on your driveway, you could face a fine and have to remove it. This is what you need to do as a Calgary skateboarder to help make some changes:
Contact Mayor Bronconnier. E-mail him here. Write to him at PO Box 2100 Station M, Calgary, AB T2P 2M5. Phone him at 403-268-5622
Contact your local Alderman. Check out this link and find out what ward you live in. Then click on your ward’s alderman and complete the contact form.
Contact your MLA. This site has all the contact info for the Province’s MLAs. Just figure out what constituency you are in so you can e-mail the corresponding MLA.
If you choose to contact any of these politicians, it’s important to be polite and clear with what you want. Here are some important points:
-Calgary is grossly behind other Western Canadian cities when it comes to concrete skateparks. Edmonton has 6, Winnipeg has 5, and Vancouver has dozens.
-No other major city has a bylaw that prohibits skateboard ramps, so this law needs to be changed
-There are thousands of skaters in Calgary (one recent estimate is 10,000)
Jun 29, 2009 | By-laws, Skateboarding
Here’s a quick post regarding the bylaw governing backyard ramps. According to bylaw #1P2007 section 344, subsection 7, “A skateboard ramp must not be located on a parcel.”
This means that no piece of land in Calgary can have a skateboard ramp.
May 27, 2009 | By-laws, Skateboarding
Since the weather is finally conducive to skateboarding outside, this is a good time to become acquainted with the City of Calgary’s by-laws as they apply to skateboarding.
If you check out this link, you will notice that skateboarding on city sidewalks is legal, provided it’s not in the “Central Traffic Zone” (essentially all of downtown). Skateboarding on any city street is technically not legal. Skateboarding is allowed on all city pathways, provided you’re not doing anything “unsafe to other people” and not breaking the other pathway rules (speed limit 20 Km/h, pass on the left, etc). You can see the pathway by-laws here.
Most importantly, you can’t skate anywhere where there is a “no skateboarding” sign (duh). This includes places like Stephen Avenue Mall and in front of the Kerby Centre (8th Ave SW between 10th St. and 11th St.)
Technically, permission from the owner is needed to skate on private property.
As long as you’re aware of these rules, are courteous to other people, and use some common sense, you should be able to “street skate” without any problems.
