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Apr
26
Follow the protests
April 26, 2006 |
A recent Kevin Collison column made an excellent observation. When Kansas Citians want to protest something, where to do we go? Do we gather on the steps of City Hall or the courthouse? No. Do we take to the streets of Downtown? No.
We do gather in Mill Creek Park on the Plaza. A park. Next to a shopping district. How completely typical for KC. It so totally embraces our two civic fascinations, and it shows that protests go where the people are. But Collison notes that the situation may be changing, as the recent immigrant protest took place Downtown. Perhaps housing, shops, and jobs aren’t the only things returning to the heart of the city.
Comments
17 Comments so far
His column is also the first I’ve seen about part of Barney Allis Plaza being taken by the city for an Explorers tennis court. (But then I haven’t been reading the paper much since I took a break in disgust during the stadium tax campaign.)
Great, just what we need in this city–more tennis courts! Anyone else think we seem to have a high number of these things? Ban skateboarders, but build tennis courts? I much preferred the plaza’s previous athletic use by skateboarders over the years–they would’ve been a much more interesting downtown attraction, but the council and mayor didn’t get it.
wouldn’t the plaza make a great skate park instead?
what if the city council unilaterally made that decision without public input?
As long as the skateboarders pay for the inherent increase in insurance liabilities, go for it.
Actually the city should pay for the insurance. unless they would rather have those same (good) kids out riding in BAP or elsewhere downtown. I skated at BAP before it was even open. At the time there were ZERO skateparks in the KC metro. Instead of skating in a clean, safe, well lit park we terrorized the fat ass security guards downtown and damaged lots of concrete and ornamental structures. haha.
If the city can’t provide a place for kids to do safe legal stuff, kids will do unsafe illegal stuff.
I rather have a skate park for kids than have them loiter causing havoc in some parts of town (like downtown etc).
Even smaller towns in central Kansas (e.g. Great Bend [population ~15,000]) have skate parks and they’re doing fine.
I’m all for appropriate venues for skateboarding but such a mixed use for the Plaza does not seem one that can be deemed reasonably acceptable. The liability can be greatly reduced when such proper skateboarding facilities are made available and properly monitored. Such things cost money. Skateboarders rarely persue their boarding pasttime for more than a few years. Tennis can be played and is played by people of all ages. Some for a complete lifetime. ….
Why do I bother? I’m afraid my calculus is just so much wasted breath.
*polishes off ’70’s era board. gets out WD-40. ponders scars on knees. puts board away*
Using the word skateboarding with properly monitored is feaking lame.
If everyone was as scared of increased premiums and litigation, no one would have any fun.
Also, your assumption that skateboarders rarely pursue their baording past a few years is wrong. How many people pick up tennis rackets thinking their going to make that last ditch effort to get in shape and relegate their racket to the “activity closet”. I don’t care if they build tennis courts everywhere, but don’t start stifling good ideas by bringing up fear of litigation and insurance premiums.
Skateboarding has become a billion dollar industry in the last ten years and kids everywhere are learning. Kansas City is churning out some incredible athletes.
You just outline every typical stereotype about skateboarding in a few short words.
Nice shot!
KCMO has one skate park so far, in Pleasant Valley Park at I-435 and Shoal Creek Parkway. There is also one in the works for Penn Valley Park next to the Scout statue, and possibly another in Hyde Park at 41st and Gillham.
ajh-
Can’t recall seeing too many octegenarian boarders. I’m sure some do exist. I do see lots of senior citizens playing tennis. Not a stereotype. A fact. It is more likely that tennis players will continue their activities long past skateboarders.
If I wanted to talk stereotypes… pull up your pants and stay off the public sidewalks, Slacker!
Insurance and litigation (don’t recall bringing up that one but it is relevant) are a reality and most likely the biggest impediment towards the building of more skateboard parks around the area. If that reality scares you don’t blame me. Blame the reality.
there are alwys more kids with new skateboards to take the place of people like me who grew too old and breakable to skate.
Squidles-
Maybe you should take up tennis. It is a lot easier on the ol’ bones.
How do you go from Explorers to senior’s tennis advocate?
Most seniors playing tennis do it at their country club.
Explorers?
Maybe the skateboarders should open their own “country club”, per se, seeing how so many of them there are that maintain their boarding interest into their adult years.
Ever wonder what the value of the tennis industry is in comparison to that of the succesful skateboarding market? Or how about Tony Hawk’s earnings compared to Venus or Serena Williams’.
i’d rather sleep with tony hawk than venus or serena hehe. willie my knees are pretty wasted from years of riding a bicycle on large ramps so tennis is out. I limit my competition to pc games nowdays although i think i’m getting teh carpel tunnel :p
Ah… the effects of unfettered youth. My knees are wobbly enough. I’ll stick to the rowing machine and road cycling but Nintendo and PC can satisfy those fantasies for which I cannot realisticly achieve.
I’ll take Anna Kournikova over all three of the previously mentioned athletes.
there is no liability insurance needed for a public park.
my arm was broken when i was 9 on a swing set in a public park. my parents could not sue. there is a clause that protects the city from any liabilities. get your facts straight!!!!! go to http://www.spausa.com for any info needed.
I know i’m late on this. but more money is made from sales related to skateboarding than from baseball, which happens to be “america’s game”. Now, i’m guessing sales related to baseball are more than tennis. ALSO, how many kids or for that matter adults do you know who play tennis? I know 1 person who plays tennis and loads who skate. Tennis is a bore which is why its losing its popularity, also it is seen as a game for the rich. Where as skateboarding is done by all people regardless of social class.
Dont start spewing out the williams sisters names, they’re only TWO people. Trust me, professional skateboarders are way more well know and popular than tennis players. Ask any kid or adult for that matter to name some skaters and they can rattle them off like nothing. but ask them to name a tennis player and they could probably name the williams sisters, but honestly, what average american kid knows who Nadal or Roddick is?
Skate parks will replace tennis courts. Its just a matter of popularity, has nothing to do with the quality of the game.
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