Unfair rap

Dear editor:
I am writing this letter in response to the comments in last week’s Times made by skateboarder Darren Cottam during the Neil Roy Memorial tournament on Sept. 22.
In his comments, Darren calls Nestor Falls a “bum” and that “they won’t make us ramps or anything.”
He seems to forget that three summers ago, my husband helped Darren and his friends haul unused homemade skateboarding equipment from the recreation centre in Sioux Narrows down to the Nestor Falls Information Centre for all the local skateboarders to use.
The skateboarders at the time were informed of a few rules about the equipment—it was to be kept off of the grass, stored neatly when not in use, and kept off the tennis courts.
This summer, the equipment was dismantled and removed because the skateboarders continually disobeyed these basic rules after being warned, both verbally and in writing, that they could lose the equipment if they didn’t follow the rules that they had agreed to.
It also should be noted that the Nestor Falls recreation committee was approached by the skateboarders about the possibility of building a skateboard park in Nestor Falls.
The committee relayed a message back through one of their parents that they should present us with some facts concerning location, costs for paving, and equipment needed.
Since the rec committee received no reply back from the skateboarders, the issue was dropped from the agenda.
I feel that it is unfair for Darren to give Nestor Falls such a bad rap. I don’t see how it would be economically feasible for such a small town to try and build a skateboarding facility—given the costs for construction, insurance and liability, and upkeep—and the fact that there are only a small handful of local kids that would utilize the facility.
I also feel that having witnessed firsthand the prior bad acts of some of the local skateboarders, why should they?
Signed,
Nadine Storey
Ex-chairperson
Nestor Falls
Recreation Committee