"Hey, John, are you going to go to the photography place downtown to get our photographs taken with Bobby Goodwin for the skate park?" I eagerly asked
him. John told me that it was too far for him to ride his skateboard to get only a few photographs taken. I am a BMX bike rider, and riding a bicycle
about two miles to get somewhere is not so much time consuming, but riding a skateboard two miles takes much more time and effort. If my friend John, who
is an excellent skateboarder, did not get excited about riding his skateboard two miles to get some photographs taken what would make him want
to ride his skateboard about four miles to ride at our future skate park? That would happen if the skate park were constructed at Osborne Park. I, as
a BMX bike rider, strongly believe that the future New Castle Skate Park
should be built at Baker Park and not at Osborne Park. I have several reasons why I believe this and much evidence to help support the reasons.
I believe that if the skate park will be built at Baker Park, it will result in greater communication amidst all different ages of people. This would also contribute to increased respect among all different people of New Castle. Firstly, all ages of people from infants to the elderly spend several hours a week at Baker Park. There are a great number of young children who play at the F.U.N. Playground in Baker Park, and many elderly people enjoy socializing while playing a game of horseshoe. The basketball courts and the swimming pool are almost always crowded with people of all ages. If the skate park were to be built here at Baker Park, the teenagers and others who would be using it would be surrounded by younger and older people all of the time. I believe that this would build better relationships between all of New Castle’s citizens.
The second reason of why I believe the skate park should be located at Baker Park is because Baker Park is centrally positioned in New Castle. To begin with, most public skate parks are located in the center of the city. Connersville, Muncie, Indianapolis, Marion, and many other cities all throughout Indiana all have public skate parks located in the center of the city. When a skate park is built in the center of a city, it makes it incredibly easier for people to locate. The distance of traveling will be equaled out because of its central location. It will also make it not so much of a hassle for noncitizens of New Castle to locate the skate park if it is centrally located. If the skate park is built at Baker Park, it will also be surrounded by the centrally located park itself, the basketball courts, the swimming pool, Village Pantry, and the fire station. We, the skateboarders and BMX bike riders, will have accessibility to a phone, food and drink, and emergency services if needed. People will also enjoy watching the youth of the city expressing their physical talents and skills in a positive and healthy way. Most of these youth involved in BMX bike riding or skateboarding attend either the New Castle Middle School or the New Castle High School. Both of these schools are only a fraction of mile from Baker Park. Many other important activities are already centrally located for the youth of New Castle; so the skate park should also be centrally located.
The final and most important reason the skate park should be located at Baker Park is because the BMX bike riders and skateboarders who will be using it want it to be located there. I have talked to all of the BMXers and skateboarders, and they have all said that Baker Park is the ideal location for a skate park here in New Castle, Indiana. This is our desired location, and it best suits our passion of extreme sports. If the skate park is built where we want it to be, we would have greater respect towards it and would maintain it correctly. A BMX bike rider or a skateboarder is not as fortunate as a person who enjoys playing the sport of basketball. Only one skate park will be built in New Castle, but there are an overwhelming number of basketball courts already located all throughout the city of New Castle. Since only one skate park will be built, I believe that it should be built where the people who will be using it want it built.
In conclusion, Baker Park is the most sensible and the most logical location for a skate park in New Castle, Indiana. This skate park, if built at Baker
Park, will bring unity and respect among all people. A skate park located in the center of the city makes perfect sense and will help citizens and
noncitizens locate the skate park. Also, if it is centrally located, traveling to the skate park on conventional forms of transportation such as
bicycles and skateboards would be much less of a hassle. Most importantly, the skate park should be located where the BMX bike riders and skateboarders
want it to be located. To obtain this goal of getting the skate park built
at Baker Park, it is going to take everyone who is willing to help our cause. If the reader of this contemplates on this subject and agrees with
me, please tell people what we would like and why.
Brent Plummer is 14 years old and an 8th grade student at New Castle Middle School.