Support vibrant skateboarding spaces

Last summer, after decades of neglect from the Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board, the Minneapolis skateboard community took initiative and started a pop up skatepark on the former site of the pavilion at Bde Maka Ska. MPRB has stated their plans to shut down what has become a clear success as an organically vibrant public space over the past year. What is currently the most popular skate spot in Minneapolis has also become an inviting space for lake visitors to stop by and take in the scene. 

We urge MPRB Commissioners to take the following actions immediately:

Work with MPRB staff to allow this flexible space to continue in its current form until construction of the new pavilion begins in 2022
Work with the skateboard community and the City of Minneapolis to provide a new space nearby that can foster the same vibrancy and inclusivity that the current site provides. 
Commit to the funding of world class skateparks as outlined in MPRB’s 2017 Skatepark Activity Plan

Too often skateboarding is treated as an undesirable land use and pushed away to the leftover scraps in quiet corners of the city. The pop up skatepark at Bde Maka Ska has shown that putting skateboarding front and center in public space has the ability to create a unique energy that is increasingly rare in public life. Now is the time for MPRB to foster this inclusive activity and support dynamic skate spaces.