Yellowknife (Oct 08/04) - Are skateboarders as bad as some people say? Callers to our telephone poll were split on that question, with 18 saying they don't deserve the bad reputation and 22 saying they do.

In any event, concerns over vandalism, drugs, alcohol and noise at the skatepark by Ecole St. Joseph school have put the issue on the front burner.

Here's what some of our callers had to say:

"I'm a concerned parent. I have a son who is an avid skateboarder and snowboarder and sits on the board sports association. I would like to see an indoor skateboard park where there could be somebody there supervising. The older people, kids that are sitting at St. Joe's now drinking and doing drugs would not be allowed into the indoor skateboard park. So come on city council, get with it."

"Yes, skateboarders do get a bad rap but it's not all of them, so you can't condemn all the kids. What else are they going to do? Don't take that one thing that they enjoy doing away from them. Give them a place."

"I don't believe skateboarders get a bad rap. Kids that hang out there aren't necessarily skateboarders and just use it as a hang out. Moving it by Wade Hamer Mini Golf is a big mistake because there's always vandalism going on there as well. My vote is to move it by the Multiplex where it could be monitored."

"No, I don't think skateboarders get a bad rap. I think they earn it. I'm originally from B.C. and all my friends were skateboarders. They vandalize property, get drunk or high and do crazy stunts and break their arms or legs. It's a skater mentality. For every one kid that wants to be like Tony Hawk, who is a positive role model, 20 other kids want to be a bunch of tossers. The only real solution is an indoor skateboard park, supervised by volunteers, preferably a bunch of big bouncer types."

"I live right beside the skateboard park. We've made well over 100 calls during the past five years to do with the vandalism, to do with the foul language, to do with the garbage, to do with the RCMP being chased off the property. The skateboard park should be removed."

"We can't shut down the skateboard park. If anything it has to be moved to possibly solve some of the problems. These kids have nothing to do on their free time as it is. There will be more problems if the skateboard park is shut down."

"I think the skateboard park needs to be moved somewhere to a supervised location, like an indoor skateboard park that's being considered. All the trouble isn't caused by just kids who want to skateboard there. It's caused by people who want to hang out there and do other things."

"Teenagers are a troubled group and skateboarders are merely the most visible element of that group. I find it ridiculous the amount of money spent on this skateboard park."

"Yes, I think the skatepark should be moved and put in a place that could be more supervised. I like the idea of having it by Wade Hamer Golf Course if it could be secured at night. Kids should be home by seven or eight o'clock at night anyway."

"What other sport in this city do parents allow their children to participate in like riding on a runaway train? There appears to be no supervision, no regulated hours, no proper safety gear being worn by these kids, noise pollution, vandalism, drugs, alcohol, graffiti. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. An indoor, regulated facility may be required.

"I'm a resident of Diamond Point, right across from the skateboard park. I'd love to invite any of the councillors to a barbecue next summer, right at back of my place and see if they can even talk to each other while they're having a barbecue. Beyond smelling the smell of dope and the violence and the vulgar language, I'd really like them to come see it. It's consistent. Not just on weekends, it's every night."

"The real people you should be asking is the City of Yellowknife. Ask the pumphouse how many calls they've had due to complaints at the skateboard park. Ask the poor guys who have to clean it up every morning and the thousands of cans, bottles and liquor bottles that they have to pick up. Bylaw? They don't give a damn."

"I'm a skateboarder myself and I think this is a stupid article. The only reason the skateboard is trashed is not from skateboarders, it's from dirtbags that hang out there and drink."