9/13/12 Roanoke City Master Plan Public Meeting

I attended a public meeting tonight for a 10 year Master plan with Roanoke City Parks and Recreation. I was there in support of a Bike Park plan/proposal that has been in the works for some time now. There were a number of interest groups but it was loud and clear our outdoor community is very active and wanting to take our communities' offerings to the next level. Trails were a large topic, everything from greenways to a bike park. There was a great turnout from our local skateboard community which was great to see. I knew going into this meeting having grown up here all my life that there was nowhere to skateboard, nowhere to bmx or ride a bike the way a kid or myself would like to ride a bike. (i.e. jumps and general fun) The city attempted building a skatepark at Wasena Park years ago but it failed due to poor design, materials and it was off limits to bikes.

There was a group of coaches from North Roanoke City who had been excluded from the Roanoke City Rec. League this year.  There story caught my attention.  In short due to the problems that have occurred there are roughly 400 kids not playing rec league football this year, that doesn't include basketball and baseball.  We talk about keeping kids busy, off the streets and out of trouble. We talk about decreasing child hood obesity and getting kids off the video games. To find out my own community doesn't have the opportunity for kids to pursue individual sports such as skateboarding and bmx but they are also losing opportunities to play organized sports is sad.  I sat silent through the meeting, it was basically the end and people were leaving. There were a ton of great points made.  He went around the room to make sure everyone got a chance to share one important reason they were there.  I finally had the opportunity to say something and I hope what I said mattered. I told them I had come in support of a Bike Park plan but if the City was to take anything from this meeting I believe that it is our kids have nowhere to skateboard, ride a bike, and are losing out on opportunities to play organized sports. In summary, Support Our Youth! He underlined it and I hope that it means something to them when they are reviewing this meeting.

Here is the flyer that Wes of Eastcoasters had prepared for the meeting.  Thanks to Wes at Eastcoasters and Steve at Just the Right Gear, local bike shop owners for being present and pushing for More Better Trails and a Bike Park!

 

www.eastcoasters.com

 

www.justtherightgear.com