Let's build a skate park

It started in the middle of the 20th century, when California surfers looked for a way to enjoy their sport when they couldn't get to the beach.

First it was books strapped to skates, then a piece of pine, then a made-to-order skateboard, albeit closer to the 1950s sidewalk design than today's composite, high-tech models.

There were ebbs and flows in the "sidewalk surfing" sport, until it evolved into a full-blown pursuit, with professional tours and a variety of interpretations, ranging from tricks to longboards to simple transportation.

The effort to build a skatepark in McCook goes back a couple of decades as well, with its own ebbs and flows and varying support from public officials, ranging from passive tolerance to outright hostility.

Critics have their points; skateboarding can be dangerous, especially for those who won't wear helmets, knee or elbow pads. It can also be hazardous when mixed with car traffic and damaging to property when riders perform tricks on park benches, rails and other fragile structures.

We suspect, however, that some simply reject the free-wheeling, authority-defying image skateboarding projects, accurate or not.

There was a time when Nebraska municipalities were more vulnerable to lawsuits related to such activities, but recent legislation has provided protection such that skateboarding is no more of a fiscal hazard than any number of other sporting activities taking place in the city limits.

At the same time, there has never been a greater need to encourage our young people to get outdoors and exercise, rather than sitting inside in the air conditioning, eating junk food and playing video games.

According to the most recent statistics, there were 18.5 million skateboarders who had skated in the past year, 85 percent of them were under 18 and 74 percent were male.

A 1998 report from the Consumer Protection Safety Council showed reported injuries per 100,000 participants: basketball, 223.5; baseball 115.7; soccer 62.0; skateboarding, 20.2.

Of the skateboarding injuries, a third were reported in the rider's first week of skateboarding, and more than half of the injuries resulted from irregular surfaces. In fact, statistics from the Canadian Amateur Skateboarding Association indicate that only 5 percent of skateboarding injuries occur in skate parks.

Skatepark supporters plan to approach the McCook City Council with a proposal to establish a local skate park.

Building a dedicated skate park will encourage more young people to get exercise and give them a safe place to skate, not to mention reduce the danger and damage associated with skating in unauthorized areas.

For more on skateboarding, visit http://bit.ly/1bciVQf