News-Miner Editorial
The wheel deal
Spring brings bikes, skateboards and conflicts
Published Tuesday, May 6, 2008
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Stumble It!A photograph on our Web page and on the front of the Interior/Alaska section of the newspaper Monday caught the interest of several readers who took the time to call or e-mail the editor.
The image was that of a boy on his bike, airborne, and not wearing a helmet or pads. To boot, he was in the middle of a park designated as a pedestrian-only area and had launched his bike off the face of a brass plaque at the fountain around the statue of the Unknown First Family.
The photograph itself wasn’t so much of a problem, though the information printed with the photo should have perhaps told people that what the boys were doing was illegal and that they or their parents could be held liable for damages to items in Golden Heart Plaza.
The rules for the plaza are spelled out in Fairbanks city code — and on signs at entrances to the plaza. Golden Heart Plaza is designated a pedestrian plaza. The only wheeled items allowed are wheelchairs or baby strollers. People should also know the park is under 24-hour video surveillance.
Annually, damage done by bicycles, skateboards and roller-blades to the surface of the plaza, the benches, handrails and the fountain adds up. A $10,000 brass plaque — or rather, a line of them — makes for a pretty pricey bike ramp.
Tire marks on the plaza surface, for instance, can’t be scrubbed, said Michelle Roberts, Festival Fairbanks executive director. Its proximity to the river prevents using cleaners strong enough to do the job on wheel marks. The only cure is a new coat of a special kind of paint, which costs a minimum of $20,000. Replacement and repair of benches and handrails year after year is costly as well.
As to photographs of people being unsafe. ... Well, it’s that time of year, and it’s time to speak up about it.
News photographers capture life as it is, not as we we want it to be. And in the summer in Fairbanks there are plenty of examples of bicyclists and motorcyclists not wearing helmets, boaters not wearing life jackets, skateboarders not wearing pads, etc.
Every year some folks get upset at these pictures. They say we glorify irresponsible behavior by printing these photographs. We don’t blame them for being upset, but we’re showing life as it is. The photos are an opportunity for folks to speak up. And they should.
The value of helmets is well known, but that doesn’t mean people use them. There’s always more to be said and another chance to convince someone to strap on a brain bucket. Count helmets and bicycles the next time you drive across town. It’s a fair bet you will see a lot more bicycles than helmets.
So imagine you’re a photographer looking for the right moment and a pleasing photograph. Odds are it will happen with a person who is not wearing a helmet.
Community Discussion
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I wasn't so much concerned about the safety of the kid on the bike yesterday as I was about the plaza. That's a beautiful part of town and I would hate to see it damaged because of kids skateboarding and using their bikes in irresponsible ways. If they wanted to, couldn't the Fairbanks PD go after them?? What more evidence do they need besides a picture of the kid doing it??
As for the helmet & safety pads...that's his choice. You can preach up one side and down the other but that is ultimately his choice...as it is the choice of all the motorcyclists you see riding around town without helmets.
As someone able to buy from the senior menu at Denny's, I think we need more organ donors. Feel free not to wear a helmet, but please let your next of kin know NOW that you wish to be a donor if you're brain dead after an accident.
The donors who paid for the park/plaques did not envision a bike/skateboard park.
I was concerned when I saw the picture and I am glad that the News Miner is taking steps to show that the plaza is not the place for such activity. I wish the person riding the bike would have the sense and respect to know that the plaza is not the place for his bike riding. But since he didn't have the sense to wear a helmet I can hardly expect him to have the sense to read the no biking sign. Hopefully, the parents will recognize their kid and put a stop to his activity before he does any damage or hurts himself.
Same thing is going happen to your Styker memorial park to fallen soliders!. After a period of time no ones going to care who these people were or what they did, or what this memorial is for...and they too will pass out on the law, sleep on your benches and do whatever it is folks and animals do on lawns. It's just as stupid as that $20,oooo dollar paint and 24-hour video surveillance. Boy are we a city of misspent dollars, bet Hayes had nothing to do with that!
I wasn't concerned at all. The picture made me smile. Nice to see a young man out doing something constructive.
It was a great picture too, thanks for putting it on the cover.
The complaints here show 100% what is wrong with our community. Apparantly the elders of the community do not remember what it was like to be a young person. Maybe they did not grow up in this town. I am not sure why the skaters / bikers of this community get so much grief from the adults.
I challenge you complainers to find something better for the kids of the community to do. Or, better yet, go visit Joel's Place as I have. Take a moment to get to know some of the young men that take part in these activities. You will be amazed by their talent & also how pleasant they are. After you talk with them you may understand that they are not out trying to harm the community, they just want something to do.
In the winter time Joel's Place gives them an area to skate/bike where they have to wear all of the safety gear. But, after the long winter, they are out on their own.
I guess my point is this: Everytime you see a youngster out doing something consrtuctive in public you should feel thankful. There are so many kids getting into "real illegal" trouble that I just don't understand the problem.
Oh...I don't know....maybe it teaches them that it is OK to break the law as long as you are doing something "constructive". Since repairs, painting, etc. need to be done to correct the damage, it sounds rather DEstructive to me. The signs are plainly and prominently displayed around the park. As for the no helmet/pads deal, thats on them. I ride a Harley and catch a lot of flack BECAUSE I wear a helmet. Maybe its not as "cool", but my wife told me that she will not wipe my butt for the rest of my life if I crack open my skull!!!
dumb.
I cannot believe my generation survived without a helmet and pads!!!!
sooooooo unsafe.....what a joke - - did they even make them back then?
I can't believe people were concerned about that
this is exactly why the kids today are a bunch of sally's...make sure to take kickball out of the schools also - and all forms of competition
at least then kids will be 'sensitive' and won't get a boo-boo
I'll have to go down to Golden Heart Plaze today and "access" the damages....
I guess it would've been a better picture if the kid had been passed out on the fountain next to a bottle of JD....
Big Brother is definitely watching. For all of you kids out there who want to have fun (legal or illegal), think about wearing bandannas over your face to conceal your identity.
fairbanks news miner job is to report news and reporting community interest stuff like the weather being nice enough for a kid to be out on his bike doing tricks. their job isn't to enforce laws. and as far as breaking this law goes, the fairbanks pd has enough on their plate to go chasing kids on bikes in the park. we adults can step up and help out by pointing out to the kids that that behavior isn't acceptable there. beware doing this though, some of these teens can be pretty mean.
however, if a violent crime is occuring in range of a reporters camera, then i would expect that reporter to drop the camera and get on the cell phone to the PD. "seat belt laws and helmet laws and such are all instituted by caring legislators who want to help save lives". BS, they just caved to the pressure from insurance company who want to lessen their payouts.
All You whiners need to get a life and quit ragging on people who are out there having a good time. Seems you need more constructive things to do with your time. I know its such a heartbreaker to see a teenager having fun. JEESH, go outside and clean up trash if it makes you feel better. Get of the computer if all you are going to do is WHINE.
This whole thing is a joke. My Husband's Brother is one of the boys mentioned in the caption. I don't see anything wrong with what they were doing. Now if they were out slashing tires and spray painting walls I would be a little more concerned.
As for Festival Fairbanks, the phone call I received at my residence yesterday tracking my Brother in Law down was very shady and was made to look like he was being commended for something. I willingly provided the number because they lady was very polite. Then I arrive at his house last night to hear the answering machine message she left and can only say it was far less than professional and enough to make every adult in the room roll their eyes.
I have told the boys that perhaps they should stick to staying inside and playing video games since it seems that the fun police run rampant in this town. Wake up people! This is an example of kids being kids. Not an act of vandalism. How sad that we should be encouraging indoor play in this day and age.
Hey Fairbanks, as someone who has lived here three years and lived in much nicer planned out cities in the past I will say this. The skate park you built them was inadequate to put it very nicely. A fun box and a rail are not nearly enough. I had six well put together skate parks to access by the time I was 13. Where else are they supposed to do tricks?
Instead of concentrating on these ridiculous lynch mob tactics why don't we work on getting them a place to do this. The tricks these gentlemen can preform are at a professional level and whether you like it or not there are people out there that are considered professional athletes that do just that for a living.
I am glad I had the opportunity to grow up in a city that nurtured it's youth. I always tell my Husband that I feel bad that he had to grow up in the borough. There isn't anything productive for children to do here unless it involves some sort of religious affiliation and I'm sorry to say not all of us want our children being influenced by that.
For the record my Husband is a government contracted painter by trade and spends most of his day around very high priced chemicals and he says he has never seen a magic $20,000 paint that removes scuff marks and also says if there were such a paint we should be questioning why something that powerful would be allowed to be used right next to the water.
They are scuff marks! That's it! When I was 17 I was doing a hell of a lot worse than riding my bike on public property. Every adult I have spoken to regarding this has the same feelings as I do on the subject. Let them be kids lest they become hoodlums. I've seen hoodlums in my time. My Brother in Law is not one of them. A young man who still attends High School in a time where drop out rates are at an all time high. A young man who works after school in an elementary school library for his pocket money.
Thanks though for the inspiration. I thankfully have enough time on my hands that I am now on a crusade to get us a rec center. I know this has been done before and has failed miserably, but the city girl in me knows how to rally a community.
I also want to say thanks on behalf of our family to all the kind comments above regarding kids being kids. I knew this town couldn't be all mean spirited crotchety old folks. It's restored my faith in this town and made me want to work to help it be a better place.
very good post opinionatedness i agree one hundred percent
I love it! "..the fun police run rampant.."
Boy, that's the truth.
And people like that are well schooled in faking politeness.
I have always thought Foodland would be a great central location for a skating rink and general good time place.
It's even something I would support with taxes, if taxes were lowered in another area (and I can certainly suggest a few).
As long as the usual crowd didn't hire the usual crowd to make it happen. Over priced design, ideas, etc. etc. nonsense.
Better, a group of citizens going for it.
You get it together; I'll help.
And as long as it wasn't run by mean people.
Like the mean-ol'-man at the bus depot.
Nobody knows what his problem is. He oughta be fired.
I am so glad that there are already people supporting the idea. It's funny too, my Husband and I were saying Foodland or the old KMart building would be perfect. There are plenty of empty eyesores in town that would make great candidates.
I also think that big companies in the state, especially the oil companies, would help fund for the sake of positive press. I myself would love to volunteer my time to being a positive influence for the kids as well.
I think that we could create an environment for people of all ages to spend productive, educational and physical time together. I do realize it would be a chore, but I think our youth deserve it. I am not quite sure where to start, but I'm sure the majority of my week will be spent researching.
Please by all means, if you have anything to contribute as far as positive ideas and information, send me a message on here and I will get you my contact info so we can talk more in depth.
Just a question, but isn't there a bike/skate park on Wilbur, near the Carlson? It is small, but okay until a larger one can be planned.
Also, the other day there were two kids doing skateboard jumps in a banned area when I was around. I chose not to say anything. They stopped & got out of the way as people came by & would only commence jumping when they couldn't hurt anybody. They were considerate to others. It is the little punks who try to run you over when you are walking on your side of the bike path, or jump regardless of foot traffic that annoy me. Crack down on the ones who will get someone else hurt by their stupidity. Kids do need more to do in this town, but the careful ones I can tolerate much better. They could be worse & thankfully aren't.
Have you ever been to said park? I have. It's literally a fun box (or small ramped wooden box, for the uninformed) and a rail. Now lets get 15 kids in there all with bikes, skateboards and roller blades and watch them argue over the order in which they get to ride over the fun box without getting in each other's way. It's quite sad really and if I were 17 I would probably much rather ride in the plaza as well.
Anyways, I am on my crusade now and will find some way to get future teenagers a place to ride/skate without being scrutinized by the public. I can't help but remember a quote from my own youth that seems to still ring true. I used to wear it proud on a T-Shirt. "Skating is not a crime". It's not going away. Just like the many other things that the older folk hope is a fad. Heavy metal music, Video Games, etc. etc.
opinionatedness I agree with you ' except for the point that you expect Me, as the taxpayer to pay for your brotherinlaw to ride bicycles.Because we have plenty of children AND ADULTS, Who ski, play soccer, football,basketball, paint pictures, put on plays, singalot, Who never ask for government mone WHOOPS!!!! My mistake
I never asked for government money. I actually said that we could get the big business and community together to fund it. I actually would prefer that people choose to contribute as opposed to being forced into it. I used to work for the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce and know a great deal about big business in the borough and the willingness of folks from places like the oil companies, to help out with things of this nature.
Do keep in mind though that you the tax payer is getting taxed for things much less productive from a city that is too broke to consider it's own youth. Oh and my Husband and I pay our taxes as well for the record.
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