Hawk vs. Borg

Dear sir:
Re: the March 3, 2005 article, “Skate park designer to attend meeting.”
I am 100 percent behind the creation of a skateboard park in the Fort. Before I started working for the MNR, I worked for five years at a bike, snowboard, and skateboard shop in North Bay.
Beside the store was the city’s skateboard park—I totally understand all benefits of having a park in the city.
But why on earth get rid of the tennis courts? Destroying one recreational area just to put in another makes absolutely no sense! And then add in the fact that there is a lot of available space right beside the tennis courts.
There is something very wrong with this decision-making.
The park in North Bay, with its current population of around 56,000, was the size of about one or two tennis courts. It was well-designed and laid out (and it cost quite a bit less to build as local tradesman worked alongside the local teenagers who designed the course).
So how much room does this town need to have an excellent park?
There definitely is enough room beside the tennis court for a park and for the town to park any construction equipment it might want to (which is what the area is seemly being used for).
Tennis may not be huge in this town, but there a lot of people who use the courts (people of all ages, including school children and people well over 80). Tennis is truly a sport that all ages play and enjoy.
In fact, there are enough of us enjoying the sport that the town should really be resurfacing at least two of the courts! And they should just get rid of the two closest to recreation centres, therefore giving more room for the park or the parking.
If this town wants to support its current citizens (of all ages), and attract young people, possibly young families, then it must try to support not only the sports that are popular with one demographic, but as well those that all are enjoyed by all ages.
Tennis and skateboarding can co-exist.
In fact, in popular skater Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 video game, a player will win $500 if they go out and win a tennis game against Bjorn Borg.
Support both sports.
Thank You,
Jan Vassbotn
Fort Frances, Ont.