How to get your city to start a skatepark

Get A Skatepark In Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Springs, Casselberry, Apopka, and Sanford We are working on finishing the Longwood skatepark, but if you want to help, read below and get a start on these cities. 1. Organize a group of bikers/skaters, the larger the better. 2. Talk to Mr. Bikes n Boards and see if we can organize and have meetings in our shop.  Good sources are Mr. Bikes n Boards, pro skaters/bikers, local businessman, Police Officer or a parent. 3. Take petition forms to your local skate, bike & surf shops and ask the managers if you can leave the petitions for people to sign. Pick them up in about 2 or 3 weeks. Take petitions to your schools and get more signatures. Have your friends & family help you by taking them to work. When you get the petitions signed make copies of them. Cities have a way of losing paper work that does not interest them. 4. Call your local newspaper and tell them you are trying to get a skatepark. Ask them if they will cover the story. Invite the reporter to all your meetings and especially Parks & Rec and City Council meetings. They will probably want to get some photos of you street riding. Try and have a diverse group for this and it helps to have some young skaters too. Readers really feel for the cute little 6 year old with no safe place to ride. 5. Organize as many skaters & bikers as you can to go to a parks & recreation meeting and city council meeting. You will need to call city hall to find out where & when the meetings are. When you get there you will need to fill out a form , a small piece of paper with your name on it, so that you can speak. If you are a good speaker, go for it, if not just get up and say that you want a skatepark because there is nowhere to ride. Get as many speakers as you can! You can keep them there all night listening to you! Give them a copy of your petition and other facts that we have provided you with. See if you can get any police to speak on your behalf. Sometimes there is a youth Officer who will help.  Let the newspaper know when you are going to a meeting and beg for coverage. Press coverage will help you and it will make it difficult for them to ignore your request. 6. Follow up! Call the city and ask to speak with the parks & rec director. Remind them of the meeting and ask what is happening. DOG THEM! You will have to attend other meetings. 7. You should have a good idea of what is happening now. Hopefully the city will have assigned someone to work on this project but if you think that you are in trouble, getting the run around, or just being played you might want to conside It is the city councils job to carry out the wishes of the people in the community. Remember this. Even if they don't like bikers/skaters they will have to deal with you. Your biggest asset is numbers. Get as many people as possible to attend your meetings. If there are city meetings, please let us know so we can get everyone to attend and support for more city skateparks. chad@mrbikesnboards.com