Skateboarders petition for indoor skatepark in London
Local skateboarders are looking to flip the minds of Londoners.
Nearly 1,000 participants in the sport and their supporters have signed a petition to create an indoor skate park in the city.
While London has 11 outdoor facilities, the city lacks a covered skatepark, the petition organizers state. So come wintertime, there is nowhere for boarders to go — their petition is designed to change that.
“The goal of the petition that these skateboarders created is to demonstrate that there is a profound need for this and a profound desire for this," said Ken Galloway, who backs the pledge.
The petition spun off a temporary indoor skatepark set up during Western Fair.
It included ramps and rails more challenging than those seen in outdoor parks.
“So, the need is obvious. Your kids need somewhere to go," said Shayna Patterson, another petition supporter. "It's important to create that space for youth to grow community.”
Aspiring Olympian Richie Bullbrook could not agree more. He grew up in London, where he found positives in skateboarding while honing his skills at outdoor parks.
A BMX rider gets air at White Oaks skatepark in London, Ont. on Oct. 11, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)
But to compete on the world stage, he eventually had to flee the Forest City.
“I can't really pursue skateboarding anywhere in Ontario. So, I train in California, and use the Team USA facility. Mostly because in Canada, we don't have an Olympic standardized training facility.”
And that is where petition signers argue London is missing an opportunity.
They contend a public or private indoor skatepark would attract riders, events, and economic activity.
But Bullbrook told CTV News, the window of opportunity is closing to create one for a new generation of London boarders.
“There isn't really a new community of skateboarders coming up in London because there is no one to look up to. There is not really a community to be a part of,” said Bullbrook.
— With files from CTV London's Reta Ismail
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's response to Trump deportation plan a key focus of revived cabinet committee
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people has the Canadian government looking at its own border.
Who should lead the Liberals? 'None of the above,' poll finds
As questions loom over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a new Nanos Research poll commissioned for CTV News says a quarter of Canadians say none of the potential candidates appeal to them.
New technology solves mystery of late First World War soldier's flower sent home to Canada
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
U.S. election maps: How did 2024 compare to 2020 and 2016?
Though two states have yet to be officially called, the U.S. election map has mostly been settled. How does it compare with the previous two elections?
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day: What's open and closed in Canada?
While banks and post offices will be closed nationwide on Remembrance Day, shops and businesses could be open depending on where you live in Canada.
Judicial recount for Surrey-Guildford confirms B.C. NDP's majority
The B.C. New Democrats have a majority government of 47 seats after a judicial recount in the riding of Surrey-Guildford gave the party's candidate 22 more votes than the provincial Conservatives.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.