The Huron Expositor, 1989-07-26, Page 3THE HURON EXPOSITOR, JULY 26, 1989 — 3A
iCit rut:
1
COLIN SKEA attempts a 180 turn off a homemade ramp. Corbett photo.
LOCAL SKATEBOARDERS (from left) Mark McGrath, Colin Skea, Mark MacDonald,
Andy Litt, Colin Ferguson, and Craig McGrath want a place to skateboard, where they
won't bother people on streets and sidewalks, and where they can seriously practice
their sport. They have gone to town hall asking that council provide them with a
half pipe at an estimated cost of $1,000. Corbett photo.
TOUGH MANEUVER - Mark MacDonald tries to go up one ramp, jump across, and go
down another. The ramps the guys use now are homemade, have to be carried from
. place to place, and don't last long. They have asked Seaforth town council to provide
them with a half pipe, which consists of two six foot high ramps constructed of wood
with a masonite top. Corbett photo.
AIRWALKING
THE FEELING OF FLYING - 13 -year-old Mark McGrath launches himself into the air.
Skateboarders
• from page IA
through skateboarding.
Colin says most skateboarders aren't
kids with attitudes who hang out on
streets. "We aren't rude, bad skaters," he
says, "there's only a few bad ones."
Liability?
The guys admit they don't have an idea
of how the town would cover liability, but
think there should be some way of ensur-
ing everyone on the half pipe wears knee
pads, a helmet, elbow pads, and shoes to
minimize the risk of injury.
They admit skateboarders get their
share of scrapes, bruises and bangs, but
none of them has yet suffered a serious in-
jury. And they point out that somehow
liability is covered for other sports.
AMA .I CaIT.L�W
Cptbett,photo.
plin1Skea jumps,his;skatebeard omerrannther set;pmitsaside.
THEAEVI: ,E,S'Seaforth;s.sllatebparrdets;c.,nkentiy,use,,4ikeMistone;for,sliding,stunts,
;are4omemade. Corbett;photo.
MOM'S EYEVIEW
How does Colin's mother, Lynn Skea,
feel about her son skateboarding, and go-
ing to town hall to ask for facilities?
"I think it's terrific. It's the first time
he's gotten into something," says Mrs.
Skea." "He's not really a pushy kid so it is
something he really wants:"
Mrs. Skea admits she wasn't too op-
timistic of seeing facilities built -at first.
"I kind of thought it was a little bit of a
dream, but the more I see other towns are
looking into this, I realize it's not
unrealistic."
Is Mrs. Skea nervous about her son get-
ting hurt by skateboarding?
"A wreck," she answers simply. "You
see them come home and their knees are
raw and you take the board away from
them for a week."
"But if he's careful... It's no different
than riding a bike. If you're not careful on
a bike you can get into problems."
Mrs. Skea says in her books skateboar-
ding is not a particularly dangerous sport,
and is preferable over hockey which she
sees as extremely violent.
There's a whole language, dress code
and attitude that is inherited by devotees
to skateboarding, but Mrs. Shea hasn't
seen a lot of change in her son.
"Sometimes he sounds like someone
from California, but most of the time he's
just Colin," she says. "He's a really
responsible kid. This year he seems to
have. a direction and he's following it."
Mrs. Skea also talked about the possibili-
ty that the half pipe may be -built but even-
tually go unused.
She wishes there were a few more
skaters ,in town to show their interest and
that
supp1tort,w, pbutuld .be :saysu"1.sed.re"ally have no doubt
Mrs. Skea .explains the money the boys
have into skating shows they aren't do-
ing it on .a fly -144110U basis. She doubts
Colin avW,suddenly stop skativag.
"The ,skateboard cotspetitlott In
Goderich, hell/ohs at. that;; ijlke•Ghristmas.
:Rhos that math him."
"1'd.really like to see the half. ipe Wit.
1 von glee the obstacles," says,s. Ikea.
",but Slimy can overnome the :o cies in
stier ;sP.oteboardiriaatg." they cats .overcome them in
ltai