I am a resident of Mesquite, who believed in the original promise behind our new skatepark - it was supposed to be a free public feature for all to enjoy. This service was funded by our taxes, and the committee board initially promised unrestricted public access.

Our community is a low-income area where families do not have the privilege of extra income to spend on public parks that were understood to be free. It is unfair to turn around and impose fees after its completion. This has effectively left this new feature off limits to many kids who simply can't muster up money out of the blue to go skate.

Recreational areas are vital for the health and wellbeing of our residents and especially for the youth. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that such public facilities remain accessible to people of diverse backgrounds and wealth brackets.

The fact that Mesquite is a federally designated Promise Zone, aiming to increase economic activity, improve quality of life, leverage investments and address challenges like promoting equity (source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), further supports this case. It is our duty to call upon the decision-makers to adhere to the original plan of a free public park. A public park should truly be public, adding value to everyone's life and not just a privileged few.

Therefore, I urge you to help change this rule by signing this petition. Let's make our new skatepark a free public park for all to use freely, as it was always intended to be.