Is Now the Right Time for Lethbridge to Build a New Skateboard Park? (Part 1)

As the municipal election in Lethbridge was beginning to gain steam this summer and candidates were coming forward, there was already a local group pressing one topic as an election issue: the building of a new skateboard park in Lethbridge. The Lethbridge Skateboard Association has managed to make their concern about the current crumbling and unsafe skateboard park one of the most talked about topics in this election. Most candidates are expressing support for a major investment of funds into a new skateboard park in a central location and the Lethbridge Skateboard Association has made itself a major player in the election through its involvement with online media. While skateboarding is one of the most popular sports for young people, it does not appear to be particularly well understood by either city council or administration. Average voters also struggle to understand why they should invest $500,000 to build a bunch of “graffiti-covered concrete hills” for skateboarders. The speaker will explain why skateboarding has become such an important election issue and cite adequate grounds for why Lethbridge should make a major investment in this particular sport. Speaker: Wade Galloway Wade Galloway is an entrepreneur and business owner who up until a few months ago reveled in his privacy. Over the last two months he has gone from anonymity to a vocal proponent of new skateboard facilities for Lethbridge. He spearheaded the Lethbridge Skateboard Association presentation to City Council and has written extensively on the issue through letters to the editor and on their association website blog. Wade is a father to two children, one of whom is learning to skateboard. More than 15 years have passed since Wade could have been charitably described as proficient at skateboarding, but an opportunity to share his former passion with his son has been a significant motivator for the current crusade.