Post by bermshot on Jul 10, 2006 6:26:18 GMT -5
Got this in my indox today from Google Alerts.
www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=136159
Skateboard park goal of Lubec youth
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - Bangor Daily News
LUBEC - Adults in America's easternmost town have numerous choices for recreation, including watching shorebirds, visiting the West Quoddy Lighthouse or crossing the bridge to Campobello.
But teenagers in the coastal town of 1,650 feel a painful shortage of activities, and a dozen of them are taking steps to change that.
They plan to raise money for a $50,000 skateboard park, and to see it through its construction, starting with the grant writing.
They are working alongside a handful of adults who have taken an interest in the project - and in the youth - over the last five years.
"Our future for Lubec is the youth of today," said Ronald Pesha, one of the adults involved. "Literally, there is no other future."
There are 44 teenagers in grades nine-12 at the Lubec Consolidated School. A dozen of them have shown a sincere interest in the park project since regular meetings among adults and youths started last winter.
One adult in town, Lester Wasson, is so impressed with the youths and their work to date that earlier this month he donated $5,000 to the project.
Town leaders are also on board with the plan. In April, selectmen signed an agreement with the school for a long-term lease of the land.
The site for the park will be on South Street, between the playground and the basketball park. It allows for a skate park that measures about 65 feet by 115 feet.
Cost estimates for the full park are $45,000-$50,000, which would include fencing, lighting, signs and benches. The largest single expense in the budget would be $21,000-$25,000 for drainage, fill and paving.
The facility would have all of the pieces that make up an ideal park: a street surface, banks, boxes, launching ramps and grind rails.
Youths will continue to meet through the summer with adults Pesha, Phillippe Gautier, Jennifer Brown and George McBride. Together they are planning fundraisers, writing grants and looking forward to the park's construction.
The teenagers also are forming a 4-H Skate Park Club under Brown's leadership.
Once the park is in place, the skateboarders will adhere to posted safety rules and be responsible for cleaning and maintenance.
Next week, the teens will distribute a letter around town telling merchants and groups about the project. They will spend the afternoons of July 3 and 4 demonstrating their skateboarding skills at the Lubec boat landing.
They will hand out fliers that explain how popular the sport is among teenagers, and how it's safer than many other sports, with protective pads and helmets worn.
Lubec's youths have been seeking a skateboard park for about five years, and interest was intense initially before the idea died away. It was revived about 18 months ago when there was a presentation at the school about teenage problems such as bullying, drugs and peer pressure.
One of Tina Mason's middle school classes wanted to talk about how a skateboard park in Lubec might change things - and the idea was revived. Weekly meetings at noon in Mason's classroom led to development of a presentation to selectmen.
The committee of teens and adults now is seeking:
. Donations of cash and building supplies. A sign will acknowledge all donors.
. In-kind assistance that also helps with building the skate park.
. General support for a skate park in Lubec.
Teenagers are planning other fundraising activities, such as a skateathon.
www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=136159
Skateboard park goal of Lubec youth
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - Bangor Daily News
LUBEC - Adults in America's easternmost town have numerous choices for recreation, including watching shorebirds, visiting the West Quoddy Lighthouse or crossing the bridge to Campobello.
But teenagers in the coastal town of 1,650 feel a painful shortage of activities, and a dozen of them are taking steps to change that.
They plan to raise money for a $50,000 skateboard park, and to see it through its construction, starting with the grant writing.
They are working alongside a handful of adults who have taken an interest in the project - and in the youth - over the last five years.
"Our future for Lubec is the youth of today," said Ronald Pesha, one of the adults involved. "Literally, there is no other future."
There are 44 teenagers in grades nine-12 at the Lubec Consolidated School. A dozen of them have shown a sincere interest in the park project since regular meetings among adults and youths started last winter.
One adult in town, Lester Wasson, is so impressed with the youths and their work to date that earlier this month he donated $5,000 to the project.
Town leaders are also on board with the plan. In April, selectmen signed an agreement with the school for a long-term lease of the land.
The site for the park will be on South Street, between the playground and the basketball park. It allows for a skate park that measures about 65 feet by 115 feet.
Cost estimates for the full park are $45,000-$50,000, which would include fencing, lighting, signs and benches. The largest single expense in the budget would be $21,000-$25,000 for drainage, fill and paving.
The facility would have all of the pieces that make up an ideal park: a street surface, banks, boxes, launching ramps and grind rails.
Youths will continue to meet through the summer with adults Pesha, Phillippe Gautier, Jennifer Brown and George McBride. Together they are planning fundraisers, writing grants and looking forward to the park's construction.
The teenagers also are forming a 4-H Skate Park Club under Brown's leadership.
Once the park is in place, the skateboarders will adhere to posted safety rules and be responsible for cleaning and maintenance.
Next week, the teens will distribute a letter around town telling merchants and groups about the project. They will spend the afternoons of July 3 and 4 demonstrating their skateboarding skills at the Lubec boat landing.
They will hand out fliers that explain how popular the sport is among teenagers, and how it's safer than many other sports, with protective pads and helmets worn.
Lubec's youths have been seeking a skateboard park for about five years, and interest was intense initially before the idea died away. It was revived about 18 months ago when there was a presentation at the school about teenage problems such as bullying, drugs and peer pressure.
One of Tina Mason's middle school classes wanted to talk about how a skateboard park in Lubec might change things - and the idea was revived. Weekly meetings at noon in Mason's classroom led to development of a presentation to selectmen.
The committee of teens and adults now is seeking:
. Donations of cash and building supplies. A sign will acknowledge all donors.
. In-kind assistance that also helps with building the skate park.
. General support for a skate park in Lubec.
Teenagers are planning other fundraising activities, such as a skateathon.