BMX Rider Chad DeGroots Discusses Need for BMX Riders To Be Allowed In Skate Parks from Ariel Ibarra on Vimeo.
BMX is a sport that many not seem as popular as skateboarding. There are tons of skate parks around but you might have not heard of a bike park. Most people don’t know that many skate parks do not allow BMX riders to ride their bikes there. For Chad DeGroot of Longwood Florida his mission is to petition cities to let BMX riders in. DeGroot is also a owner of a bike shop called Mr. Bikes n Boards and a professional BMX flatland rider who has competed in competitions all over the world.
DeGroot started riding bikes in high school as a form of transportation until he learned he could do cool tricks on his bike. When he moved to Florida thirteen years ago he helped open local skate parks as well as help open the new Candyland skate park in Longwood. Along with his store he is also the owner and rider of a BMX company called Deco. While being a busy man DeGroot tries to attend various city meetings to petition to let bikes in. Recently he had a father go on behalf of him to petition the city of Oviedo to let BMX riders into their skate park. With DeGroots thoughts going to the council he finally got through to them.
He believes that BMX and skateboarding helps with learning about life and blowing off steam and it is a great thing for teens. He also thinks that skate parks are the new playgrounds of parks. In BMX Union DeGroots quotes “We’re here for the long haul” about the future of BMX.
