Recent complaints on social media of behaviour at the Zero Gravity skate park has encouraged organizers of a Cochrane skate group to invite families and friends of all skill levels to come out and see the friendly side of skate culture.
“The nice part of the skate park is there are people with a love for the same sport,” said Levi Switzer, skate group The Inside’s lead organizer.
“It bums me out a lot to hear there might be bullying going on at the park … we talk to our guys a lot about who they are and who they want to be when they grow up. The program is all big-brother based and we want them to make good choices and be better men.”
Over the summer, a couple of Cochrane mothers have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the behaviour of some of the youth at the skate park – the most recent complaint came last week when a Cochrane mother alleged that she saw a group of boys throwing small rocks at the younger skaters.
The Cochrane Municipal Bylaw administration could not confirm or deny if there were any official complaints made stating, “specifics or details of complaints are not released to the public.”
The Cochrane RCMP was able to confirm that there has been the “odd report here or there” regarding the Zero Gravity skate park but Sgt. Darleen White said it was “nothing regular.”
“We talk to our kids a lot and if they are having issues we try work on long-term solutions,” Switzer said.
“I don’t think people who do bad things are bad people, I think they are just hurting people … and if we ever see behaviour like that we nip it in the bud.”
Initiated six years ago, The Inside hosts weekly barbecues every Thursday inviting youth of all skills levels to come out. Switzer said it would be a great time for parents who might have had a bad experience to come bad and see the more positive side of the skate world.
“The only thing I would tell parents new to the skate park is to keep out of the way of skate paths and to the new skaters, keep your heads up – it looks like chaos but it is an organized chaos, you just need to remember to take your turn,” Switzer said.
Organizers said they were surprised to hear about the allegations, as Switzer said he has never seen any kind of bullying behaviour at the skate park where him and his friends frequent.
“To hear there might be bad behaviour bums me out, skating was always a safe retreat for me – it is probably a couple of people who are trying to make others feel bad so they don’t feel so bad,” Switzer said.
To check out The Inside’s all ages, all skills levels weekly barbecue, organizers are at the Zero Gravity skate park every Thursday starting at 5 p.m. The event is free for everyone.
For more information on The Inside, go to theinside.ca
