Tulsa, like most cities, struggles to offer meaningful, free outdoor activities that ensure children learn valuable skills while staying safe and active. With limited options, the skate ramps at Quickie-Mart have become an essential free, outdoor facility that not only motivates children to step outside, but also keeps them occupied with a sport that ignites passion, builds self-confidence, and encourages discipline.

However, these publicly accessible skate ramps are under threat of closure. The threat is not just to a pair of ramps; it is a threat to an accessible, free facility that nurtures our youth. Around 31.8% of Oklahoma's children are categorized as overweight or obese; the highest in the nation (Trust for America's Health, 2020). Losing the Quickie-Mart skate ramps would mean withdrawing an avenue for these kids to engage in physical activity and enjoy the open air.

We implore the City of Tulsa to either protect the Quickie-Mart skate ramps in their present location, or to replace them with a freely accessible skatepark of equal or better quality, which must also provide free skating lessons on every Saturday. Free facilities promoting physical fitness are not a luxury; they are a necessity for a city that counts on its future generations.

The time to act is now! Preserve our free, public skateboard ramps. Stand up for the health and happiness of our children. Please sign this petition to show your support and make a difference for the future generations of Tulsa.