Residents in 琉璃神社鈥檚 Lower Mission area have been without a skatepark for too long, according to a petition circulated by some local enthusiasts.

Since being posted to by Evan Strang on June 26, a petition addressed to 琉璃神社 Mayor Colin Basran and his council calling for a new skate park in the area has garnered nearly 2,000 signatures.

Due to the nearest park being in downtown 琉璃神社 鈥� a significant bike-, car- or bus-ride away from the neighbourhoods surrounding Lower Mission 鈥� most kids in the area end up skating on the streets, according to Strang. He says this results in people 鈥済etting kicked out and hassled by the community and security.鈥�

Strang also cites several other benefits a new skatepark could bring to the community, including increased tourism and use as an outlet for otherwise mischief-causing people.

鈥淜ids should be out skating [rather than] out causing mischief etc, having a place for more people to skateboard at will greatly increase the number of people encouraged to skate and also bring the current skaters out of the streets. When youth have nowhere to go and nothing to do, that is when they are ill-behaved if you give them something then the illicit behaviour will decrease,鈥� reads the petition.

鈥淪kateboarding gives a significant health boost, giving people something to do will get them to go out and do it. Not enough people want to skate simply because there is nowhere to do it.鈥�

You can view the petition .

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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com

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