April 11, 2007

Dear Candidate:

Cities across the U.S. are trying to brand themselves as youth friendly and develop the creative economy.

A number of cities are doing so by inviting skateboarders to return to their downtown plazas. Philadelphia’s LOVE Park is still known as perhaps the world’s most famous skateboard plaza—an irreplaceable shrine for millions of enthusiasts of America’s fastest-growing sport. While other cities seek to embrace skateboarding, shaping a youth-friendly image, Philadelphia has turned its back on the enormous potential of its international symbol of youth, vitality, and progress.

However, with new leadership comes new opportunity to fix the decisions of the past. In 2004, a coalition of civic organizations and Philadelphia leaders drafted a Balanced Solution to return LOVE Park to all of its users. This solution was endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and a majority of City Council, and would have been cost-neutral for taxpayers.

The issue of skateboarding in LOVE Park is still very much on the radar of young people’s groups in Philadelphia. It far transcends skateboarding and concerns many voters, organizations, and interests.

For this reason, the Skateboard Advocacy Network asks for your position on whether you would return skateboarding to LOVE Park, if you are elected.

A number of issues relating to LOVE Park, including funding, local support, damage and liability, are often misunderstood. Once people hear the facts, many of those who originally supported a ban on skateboarding in LOVE Park change their position. I urge you to read through the attached material before you respond.

(Editor's Note: Attached material - Center Square from June 6, 2006 and additional supporting materials)

We will be sharing the responses of the Mayoral and City Council candidates with the local media, young people’s groups, and the general public. We ask for your response by April 24th. You can email your response to lovepark2007@gmail.com or P.O. Box 22384, Philadelphia, PA 19110-2384.

Thank you in advance for your attention and participation.

Sincerely

Scott Kip
President

Last Updated: April 20, 2007