Always an excuse to deny skate park

Noel Lashley

I am sickened. I honestly cannot believe that an idea of a skate park

in Laguna could be such a headache.

Actually, I can believe it. Laguna can bring on a severe migraine

sometimes. There’s a “no throwing a Frisbee” law and the soon-to-be

“no smoking on the beach” law. I can deal with these laws, but I

cannot deal with the fact that a skate park is too much to ask for.

Skateboarding is great exercise. To the older generation, here’s

an analogy: Skateboarding is like tennis, you get a workout and you

are having fun. Except you have a ton of these concrete areas and we

have none.

Now people who enjoy skateboarding should have the resources as

well. The ACT V parking lot didn’t work as a location, nor did Big

Bend. I can live with that, but now people are complaining that the

dogs and skate boarders won’t get along. This is the most ridiculous

thing I’ve heard since the skate park became a thought years ago. the

dog park is a perfect location. Skateboards are not that loud.

Poodles bark louder than a pari of trucks sliding across the coping.

Skateboarders remain in the enclosed skate park. Dogs run around

and sniff other dogs in the dog park. Skateboarders sometimes own

dogs as well. Some people who own dogs smoke cigarettes and yes, they

smoke at the dog park next to the same dry hill that the skate park

would be built at.

I have heard for years now that the YMCA wants to build this skate

park. Sadly, there are too many whiners in this town who would detest

just about anything that doesn’t benefit themselves.

Now the park at Top of the World is the new location being

discussed. Sadly, this location won’t work because complaints about

noise or that skateboarding is too punk rock for the conservative

neighbors will arise.

I don’t want to drive out of town to skate, but I suppose I will

have to because this town is just too lame to have a measly skate

park. I have an idea, we should build a cracker and cheese barn so

people can gather and whine.

* NOEL LASHLEY is a Laguna Beach resident.