Feb 4, 2011 | Activism, By-laws, Skateboarding, Skateparks
On January 5th 2011, CASE representatives attended a Standing Policy Committee meeting on Community and Protective Services. This committee is made up of aldermen and the mayor.
The bad news? The “skateboard strategy” that CASE had worked on for a few months with Community and Protective Services was changed from a “strategy” to a “discussion paper”. If you’d like to read the document and CPS’ cover report, click here.
The good news? Many of the alderman present expressed support for CASE and for more skateboarding facilities in Calgary. In fact, Mayor Nenshi asked those responsible for the discussion paper to move their goal of December 2011 up to June, 2011. According to the meeting, CPS will “develop a comprehensive Skateboard Amenities Strategy and report back no later than 2011 December.”
When cities decide to do things like build hockey rinks or recreation centres, they generally produce these formal strategies. The City of Vancouver did it for skateparks and look where they’re at. So it’s great news that the City is going through with this; it means they will look at developing more skateboarding facilities.
Will we have a new skatepark by December 2011? Probably not but we could be looking at plans and a location for one by then.
Feb 3, 2011 | Photos, Skateboarding, Spots
Is this shot by Scott Furkay a sneak peek of what Justin Cahill has been working on? Looks crazy!
Feb 2, 2011 | Skateboarding, Video
Edmonton area skate shops, Plush and Famous premiered their video, Hell Awaits last week and a handful of Calgary skaters have tricks in it. Dana Rolles, Beau Larson, Devin Morrison, and Geoff Strelow all have clips. Watch the trailer on the Kingshit site. Click below:
Jan 31, 2011 | Indoor, Skateparks
Do you want to see if there is a need for an indoor skatepark in Calgary? If you’re not sure, one visit to Skate Church will provide all the evidence you need. Tuesday nights, skaters from all over Calgary converge on the Dalhousie Community Church gym to skate for a couple of hours. It only takes a few minutes for the gym, basketball hoops and all, to become a skateboard park. Skate Church leaders and volunteers move the boxes, rails, banks, quarter pipes, and other obstacles into the gym and into place around the gym and presto, the park is ready for the skaters to arrive.
Skate Church Proves Very Popular
About 50 skaters this week still made for a busy night
Every Tuesday night Skate Church is packed, with skaters using every inch of the 2100 sq ft available. In the first session for 13 and under, it’s normal for as many as 30 skaters to show up. That number can grow to between 70 and 80 for the older group, who are freer to travel and can get there without their parents. Those that come aren’t all Dalhousie locals either. I spoke to the father of a young skater in the first group who drove his son from Tuscany in the northwest. One 13 year old takes advantage of the LRT station nearby to come from his home near the Heritage station in the south. Another skateboarder described his 45-minute bus ride from north Calgary. Yes, even though Skate Church is not very big as skateparks go, it is HUGE for the skaters who come from all over Calgary and cherish the skateboarding opportunity each week.
Jan 28, 2011 | Photos, Skateboarding
Ryan Oughton has a shot in the new RDS catalog, shot by Brian Caissie:
