The SLO Parks and Recs along with RRM and Wormhoudt have secretly decided to remove our skate community designed tube. See it here…
More Images and my Response
This is my response:
My name is Scott Kam, I have been making skateboards (FUN) for more years of my life than I haven’t. I do it, not to get rich or even for an honest living. I did it for the good of my community and their well being.
We have been stoking people and celebrating skateboarding in SLO since 1993. Our goal since 1994 is to provide (ECO) Earth Concerned Options, like skateboarding and to promote a healthy and environmentally conscious lifestyle. We do this with our skateboard designs, products, and community activism. The skateboards we’ve offered here in SLO are designed to surf the earth. They provide enjoyment for all levels from the first timer to the veteran.
With this said I need to address “The tube is now a wave”. If you have surfed, the origin of skateboarding, you know how incredible and mind blowing getting tubed is. Mater of fact, you don’t even need to have surfed, see Tarp Surfing craze. I have personally experienced it with all ages and whole families: kids with both parents. They are loving it. This universal joy is the motivation for all our efforts.
We all know skateboarding is acknowledged as a dangerous activity. The unpredictability and riding challenges is what makes it fun and exciting. So, by definition these “Primary Safety Issues” are good for a potentially fulfilling skateboarding experience.
I believe I was at every public skatepark design meeting and it is my understanding we decided on specific design criteria (materials etc.) of which 30% would be street, 30% flow bowls and transitions, and 30+% would be unique features. And that it is the job of Wormhoudt and RRM to bring it to life, for our community. We even agreed to raise funds to pay for our collective design.
Original:
A tube (full pipe) is not a new idea it has been done many times before (both intentionally and unintentially for drainage) but never designed like this fun feature. Getting tubed will never have been so accessible and safer. It doesn’t move! I appreciate the Parks and Recs Staff, but I am concerned they may lack understanding of how fun getting tube is.
To address all the negative feedback: First, consider the source and their motivation. Second, were they part of our Community workshops which were thorough, democratic, and very successful. Everyone got some of what they wanted.
Revision:
The whole point of the tube is to have a Novelty skateable fun feature for all levels. A peaking oververt wave wall is not accessible to very many riders..
At the risk of alienating myself as a hopeful do-gooder, I have composed this letter from my heart, for my surf/skate community.
Also, click to see awesome story from Local Clothes..
What do you think?
Let us know:
Christine Wallace
cwallace@slocity.org
or
Rootamental
rootamental@gmail.com
International Surf Day ~ thought I would cover the Raddest surfrider in the world…
Moriarty, hidden in plane view.
Exerpt By Scott Hulet
SH~ Surfrider’s 80-plus chapters are the picture of grass-roots power on the hoof. If you could rally all of the chapters and all of Surfrider’s substantial resources for one year, and commit to one single effort, what would it be?
JM~ The single largest issue that our chapters are facing in local areas is plastics. We have a large focus on wave preservation, beach access, water quality, etc., and in any given place each of those have differing values of local importance. For example if you live in Maine the number one issue is beach access because more than 80 percent of the coast is private … you can’t get to the beach or waves. The issue facing ALL communities is the plastic we’re letting go down our storm drains and into our lineups, oceans and beaches.
SH~ Leave us with a simple way for surfers to improve their spot.
JM~ It’s been suggested that the new localism is to “own” your local beach. That is, stand up when it’s under threat, clean it up when it’s dirty, and show up when you’re asked to. This isn’t complex. Next time you paddle out, pick up a few pieces of trash. That one or two pieces are literally one or two pieces that won’t be floating around the ocean and probably killing fish and birds. Start there. Be a real local, “own” your local beach.
Full Story or go to the source ~ surfrider
Rootamental 