Response to New Skatepark article from Kawehno:ke resident

How wonderful that approximately 100 skateboarders from all 3 districts (according to MCA’s Ec. Dev. Dept.) get a new Skateboarding Park at the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena.

How about the other 14,900 other community members that don’t get to use the half-done 5/8 mile walking/bike path at the Arena. The uncompleted walking path should have been the priority to finish before any skateboarding park. It was almost completed in 2018 according to MCA’s Ec. Dev. Dept, but the Arena had a fire and the money set aside to complete (or almost complete) the walking path went up in smoke. Doesn’t MCA carry enough insurance to cover such costs? Regarding insurance, I hope they have enough to cover the medical costs of injury at the skateboard park. It is well known that injuries occur at higher rate at these parks, mostly sprains, broken bones, and head trauma (usually happens to 10 yr. old’s and under, even with helmets!). So much for a providing a “safe environment”.

It is really puzzling that MCA doesn’t want to provide for many in this community who could make use of the beautiful walking path by the river and instead finds over $400,000 to build something catering to the few for their mental happiness and well-being. Doesn’t the mental health and well-being count for the rest of us? MCA find the money somewhere to finish the walking path, if you can find $400,000 you can find much less than that to finish the job you started in 2018.

This is MCA”s outreach attempt for reconciliation, as written in their promotion of the Skateboarding Park. Wait, stop the bus...I thought reconciliation was for all the blood, sweat, tears, and deaths of our ancestors... them sort of trying to make up for past horrors done to our culture and all the land grabbing! Instead, we offer a brand-new Skateboarding Park to all Cornwall/SDG counties...it’s like they took our house and now you want to give away the front yard too! One last remark, there is a skateboarding park at Optimist Park in Cornwall, 15 minutes away not 45. Hardly used, I hear!

Helen Benedict 

Kahwenoke Elder