Full Circle Digital Magazine August 2013 | Page 67

O U R C O M M U N I T Y • S K A T E R S for children as the dangers are far too great. Children are now confined to backyards or local parks for relatively safe places to play. Yet even these are changing. With growing populations, the increased demand for housing in many areas, particularly urban areas, is eroding children’s play spaces. Housing blocks are becoming smaller and high-density housing is becoming more prevalent. Combined with decreased opportunities for parents to spend time supervising and participating in their children’s play because of increased work commitments, this situation has resulted in greatly reduced prospects for children’s engagement in outdoor play.” So with less and less play space available, children are taking to the streets again, but this time they’re on BMX bikes and skateboards. They are outside, exercising, and practicing a highly skilled sport. It requires superior balance, proprioception, fine-motor skills and reflexes - an Occupational Therapists’ dream! The physical activity of skateboarding and BMXing makes it a moderately intense aerobic activity, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Whether you’re performing daring tricks or cruising down the sidewalk, these activities improve your health. Then why is it that children on skateboards are treated with such disdain by their community? If the community that these young adults look to for guidance, treats them as though they are criminals, then rebels and petty criminals they believe themselves to be. Skating professionals like Tony Hawk are inspirational role models to young skaters. The Tony Hawk Foundation has given away more than $ 3.4 million to help build over 400 skate-parks around the US. The Foundation supports projects in low-income areas and helps underprivileged children. In 2007, Tony, together with other athletes, including Andre Agassi and Muhammad Ali, founded the charity “Athletes for Hope”, an organization that aims to inspire all people to volunteer and support their communities through the actions of professional athletes. So, next time your local skater gang passes you on the street - that next budding athlete may be amongst them give them a “thommie” (thumbs up in skater slang). They’re just kids, doing what they’re supposed to be doing playing outside! Editor’s Note – Our one and only skate-park is out of use, due to the new development at the old Sunvalley Mall site. Additional children will be on the roads, and motorists will need to exercise more patience than usual. Perhaps we have some members of the community who can contribute in various ways to set up a project to supply a safer venue for our children to skate, confirming our support of them, and their value as part of the community? Let me know your thoughts at [email protected] FULL CIRCLE DIGITAL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2013