1,000 signatures reached
To: Hackney council
ROLLER SKATE SPACE FOR CLISSOLD PARK
Urgently create a permenant, dedicated space for roller skaters and learner skaters that is large smooth and well draining like the tennis courts or give scheduled access to the tennis courts for roller skating.
Why is this important?
UPDATE: If you agree, please sign this petition and ALSO complete the Hackney Public Consultation survey on IF and where to create this space. Link to Hackney survey below. The consultation is happening NOW and they want to use the space for gym equipment - so please sign this petition and complete the survey, linked below, ASAP.
https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/parks-green-spaces/clissold-consultation/?fbclid=IwAR2ZTnEApk1E3DANcmCwvde9u_c7snSPt1Ab5gnx9ybvXJe60jzKRZbxIFE
WHY?
Roller Sports need to be given the same recognition as tennis and golf.
Marginalised for decades, roller skating has taken off during lockdown across all generations. Skate retailers are reporting a 800% uplift in sales of skates since the start of Lockdown 12 months ago. It is an all inclusive amazing aerobic fitness activity that is a great leveler. On a Fitbit it will show the same level of excercise as running. It provides a community for teenagers, children and adults including wheel chair users learn and share constructive skills in a socially distant way. It raises your heart rate and is excellent for muscle tone, dancing and all round fitness. Teachers are reporting waiting lists of 300 students who will need to conduct their classes on reclaimed park pathways - if they can find any that are smooth enough to skate on and if they don't get moved on.
It encourages communication between different generations and is a wonderful family activity. I have observed how skaters all learn together and teach one another. It is socially distant and for teenagers especially it gives a safe, SOBER, social environment to see their friends. The tennis courts are a safe place to learn as roller skating can not be done on normal park pathways. It really does require a completely smooth surface to avoid accidents and there is nowhere in or near Stoke Newington to do this. The people signing this petition agree that this is an activity that should be supported and a suitable space created within the park or accommodated within the tennis courts. Roller skaters are talked of as a subculture but when given official space it attracts huge numbers of people and has done for 40 years. Currently roller skaters are too often relegated to car parks or in this case the illegal tennis courts. Stoke Newington has one of the highest birth rates in Europe and I for one do not want my teenagers to have to do this. A skate rink would give somewhere legal and safe for teenagers, adults and children to share.
We have the support of the TeamGB speed skating champion Adrian Wordsworth and Wheelchair skating charity founder Isaac Harvey (www.Wheelsandwheelchairs.co.uk).
HACKNEY SURVEY - THEY WANT TO HEAR OUR IDEAS!!!
Hackney are currently running a public consultation on how to re-develop the old paddling pool (which is being re-sited and enlarged elsewhere in the park). The idea being presented at the moment is gym equipment. I believe a far greater number of local residents would benefit from including a large skate space as well as or instead of the gym equipment. This idea was put forward before lockdown. But during lockdown the roller skating explosion in the tennis courts have proven the huge local demand and we must show our support for this idea by completing the survey here (copy and paste):
