Residing in the heart of Upstate New York, Oneonta is a vibrant mountain town that is the home of two colleges, a bustling Main Street, and most importantly to this petition, a thriving skateboard community. Since founding the "Oneonta Skate Club" in 2022, I have seen our organization grow to and touch hundreds of people across the age, race, and gender spectrum, all through a connection and love to skateboarding. As can be seen on our Instagram page, "@oneontaskateclub", over the course of the last two years, we have had numerous successful skateboarding events within Oneonta that not only strengthened our sense of community, but also showed many people the positive effects of skateboarding such as an increased physical and mental well being, and an outlet for creative expression within an inclusive environment. 

With all of that being said, the state of the Oneonta Skate Park, a place that should be the heart of the said environment above, is in very critical condition. With the park being constructed almost 20 years ago, by Job Corps students with little education on the measurements and techniques that go into creating a safe and hospitable skatepark, the harsh winters and incorrect building techniques have slowly whittled down our park to a state of dilapidation that is not only an eye soar, but also a public safety hazard. Just within the last month, we have had one of our club members break his shoulder due to the deep cracks that run rampant throughout the skatepark, as well as have been featured on the notable skateboard bearing company, Bronson Bearing's Instagram page as a contestant for having one of the country's worst skateparks, which can be seen here. 

Although the city of Oneonta has made promises to us throughout the last few years to revitalize the park in some way, we continue to wait with limited answers or next steps. After meeting with a member from the organization, "@bridgetoskate" about the current state and situation of our park, we decided that there is never a better time for change than the present. That is why we have made this petition. With your signatures and support, we hope to get the ball rolling with the city of Oneonta to start giving us real answers as to when we can expect to see our skatepark revitalized for the better. With such a large and wonderful community of skateboarders within our town, it is imperative for us to have a safe and designated space within the city to foster and care for our community. Please help us make this change with your signature and support.