* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Informational Hearing - Building a Skatepark in Baltimore City
FOR the purpose of requesting that the President of The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., brief the Council on the rapid growth of skateboarding across the country, the impact that this trend has on Baltimore City, the necessity for building a skatepark in Baltimore City, the current status of grants and donations that The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., has obtained, and the status of its goals to raise funds, build partnerships, secure a location, design, and begin construction of a skatepark in Baltimore City.
Body
Recitals
The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc. is a grassroots 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate the construction of a public, custom, concrete destination skatepark in the City of Baltimore. It actively pursue this mission by planning, fund-raising, and educating the people with whom they come into contact about the importance of youth and adult skateboarding activities and the positive results that could be obtained from the opening of a skatepark in the City of Baltimore.
Since its establishment, The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., has organized a variety of fund-raising activities to make headway towards the goal of opening a skatepark in Baltimore City. It has currently held 31 fund-raising activities since March of 2005 and has raised close to $11,500 from grassroots fund-raising. In 2007, Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., was awarded a grant from the Abell Foundation of $30,000 for planning and pre-development costs associated with building a public skatepark for Baltimore City skateboarders, bikers, and rollerbladers. In addition, Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., has partnered with various festivals and tours in the area to help spread their message and provide information to Baltimore City residents.
On a local level, The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., has worked with a number of local businesses, including music venues, art venues, skate shops, skate companies and private skateparks. They have also worked with community based organizations and foundations such as the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Community Law Center, and the Hampden Family Center, as well as with numerous national advocacy organizations.
According to recent counts, there are approximately 6,400 skateboarders actively skating in Baltimore City. Presently Baltimore has only one public concrete outdoor skatepark, Carroll Park, which is less than 10,000 square feet. The square footage of terrain needed for the number of skaters in Baltimore is approximately 64,000 square feet. The current facilities available fail to meet the needs of Baltimore's skateboarding population. The construction of a skatepark in Baltimore would address the deficiency with the creation of a safe, accessible skateboarding area for local youth, which would prove beneficial to the community as a whole.
This informational hearing will provide those who have been working wholeheartedly to get this skatepark built an opportunity to address the Council and provide information on the current status of their plans as well as to discuss the current status of skateboarders in the City and the many ways in which building a skatepark in Baltimore City would be beneficial to both the youth and adult skating communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That this Body requests that the President of The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., brief the Council on the rapid growth of skateboarding across the country, the impact that this trend has on Baltimore City, the necessity for building a skatepark in Baltimore City, the current status of grants and donations that The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., has obtained, and the status of its goals to raise funds, build partnerships, secure a location, design, and begin construction of a skatepark in Baltimore City.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the President of The Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc., and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the Council.
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