Hello!  My name is Ally Almers and I am a 13 year old resident of Mebane, North Carolina.  My dad and I are creating this petition to show Mebane City officials and the Parks and Recreation department that there is a large amount of community support for the construction of a small skate park for residents and area visitors to enjoy in a safe and legal way.

Mebane is a beautiful town that obviously cares about its citizens and their physical well-being.  For the youth, Mebane has built programs, parks, and facilities to support the "typical" sports and recreation activities such as soccer, football, baseball, and softball.  However, outside of these sports, there is very little in the way of activities and facilities for those individuals that prefer alternative sports and hardly any safe and legal place that allows skating, skateboarding, and riding scooters.

Area Availability:
From Mebane, the closest public skate park is the Chapel Hill Skate Park off of Homestead Rd. which is roughly 20 miles away.  Outside of this skate park in Chapel Hill, there are 4 other facilities that are close enough to be considered "reasonable" options for those interested in skateboarding.

• Durham Skate Park (Durham, Durham County)
• Asheboro Skate Park (Asheboro, Randolph County)
• Above Board Skatepark (Greensboro, Guilford County)
• Latham Skatepark (Greensboro, Guilford County)

As you can see, for the average youth that is dependent on others for transportation, this could be a limiting factor which prevents them from going outside, being physically active, and doing something they truly enjoy.  

Limitations:
In addition to access and availability limitations in general, but especially for Mebane's youth, there are ordinances in place that limit skating.  Though phrased as applying to "roller/inline skates", it is safe to infer skateboards are including in the following:

"Sec. 34-8. - /Skating/ regulated.
No person shall use or wear roller /skates/ of any kind on the streets or sidewalks within the fire limits of the city.
(Code 1952, ch. D, art. IV, § 8)"

Variety of Types, Sizes, and Models:
The type, size, and operating model is certainly a consideration but is really outside the scope of this petition for community support.  However, to provide some insight into potential options, we have provided some reference information below:

• Chapel Hill Skate Park:
  • 10,000 sqft.
  • Outdoor
  • Semi-permanent and Modular
  • Free, open to the public
• Durham Skate Park:
  • 10,000 sqft.
  • Outdoor
  • Concrete
  • Free, open to the public
• Asheboro Skate Park:
  • 10,000 sqft.
  • Hybrid (2,500 sqft. Indoor, 7.500 sqft. Outdoor)
  • Semi-permanent and Modular
  • Paid, discounted for residents, open to the public
• Above Board Skatepark:
  • 10,000 sqft.
  • Indoor
  • Semi-permanent and Modular
  • Paid, open to the public
• Latham Skatepark:
  • 10,000 sqft.
  • Outdoor
  • Concrete
  • Free, open to the public

Wrapping It All Up:
With your help and by signing this petition, we hope to show the City of Mebane that there is overwhelming support from the community to construct a skate park for residents and area visitors to utilize and enjoy.  Additionally, it is our belief that the construction of a skate facility would not only provide a safe and legal place for individuals interested in alternative sports, but could open other opportunities for community outreach and involvement for youth such as camps, clubs, and competitions -- a proven model used by the Mebane Parks and Recreation Department and Mebane Youth Soccer Association (MYSA).

Thank you for your time and consideration!
Ally and Jay Almers