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MEETING:
DATE:
REPORT #:
SUB.ECT:
TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
REPORT. File #
Res. #
By -Law #
NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD
July 6, 1988
CS -14 -88 FILE #:
SKATEBOARD ISSUE
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the Newcastle Community
Services Advisory Board the following: -
1. That joint report no. CS -14 -88 from the Skateboard
Subcommittee and the Community Services Department
be received; and
2. That in follow -up to Council Resolution #GPA- 308 -88
(Item 5), the Newcastle Community Services Advisory
Board and Community Services Department refer this
report to General Purpose and Administration
Committee; and
3. And further that the Newcastle Community Services
Advisory Board and Community Services Department
recommend that a skateboard facility not be considered
at this time.
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NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD'
REPORT NO. CS -14 -88 PAGE 2.
BACKGROUND & COMMENTS:
At a meeting held on June 13, 1988 the Skateboard Subcommittee
and Community Services staff met to review the skateboarding
issue. This group unanimously agreed that the skateboarding
issue was not serious enough to warrant the development of a
skateboard facility, particularly when construction costs and
liability issues are reviewed. Also, it is difficult to predict
whether skateboarding is simply a "fad" which may disappear within
the next year or two.
Research provided by City of Oshawa staff shows that once a
suitable site is determined the construction costs for the
ramp style of skateboarding is approximately $8,000.00.
Additional costs such as fencing and storage of covers for the
ramps would also have to be considered.
As mentioned above, liability is also an issue. Presently, a
private entrepreneur renting a facility in Toronto to operate
skateboarding pays $800.00 a day for insurance. Also, there
exists no guidelines or safety standards for the supervision of
such a sport so insurance coverage is not only expensive but may
be difficult to attain.
Finally, there remains a transportation problem in the Town. The
age group involved cannot drive themselves to such a facility so
accessibility in an area where there is not public transit is a
problem. Even if parents were to drive their children to such a
facility two or three times a week this would not eliminate the
use of skateboarding on streets completely.
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NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD
REPORT NO. CS -14 -88
PAGE 3.
It was agreed that education of children as to safe skateboarding
practices be handled within the schools. Further to this, if an
individual from the private sector wishes to provide such a
facility that this would be in the best interests to all involved.
Staff are also prepared to consider providing existing facilities
for demonstrations and or safety clinics as special events in the
future if the sport is still popular.
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph P. Caruana, Director
Department of Community Services
JC:RL:sa
Richard Lange
NCSAB Skateboard Subcommittee
Chairman