‘Go Skateboarding Foundation’ Petitions California Governor To Recognize Skating As Essential
Tod Swank. Image by J. Grant Brittain.
California, the birthplace of skateboarding, has been under a shelter-in-place order since March with many public spaces and parks having closed to discourage large gatherings. This means that skateparks have been off-limits, with some cities taking extreme measures to ensure they stay closed. (San Clemente famously filled Ralph’s Skate Court with sand last month… lol.) The Go Skateboarding Foundation and the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) want to change this with a petition that launched today at change.org.
“We feel that skateboarding is a critical form of transportation for many Californians”
In the petition, Californian skateboarders request that Governor Gavin Newsom recognize skateboarding as a viable and essential mode of transportation—essentially, it is—and designate skateshops as essential businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s estimated that millions of people in California use skateboarding as an essential means of transportation, and it also serves as a critical connector for skaters riding buses and trains. California Senator Ben Allen, State Assembly Member Richard Bloom and Santa Monica City Council Member Greg Morena have already joined the cause. If you want to raise awareness and support those that rely on skateboarding for transportation, you can help by signing the petition here: http://www.change.org/
“We feel that skateboarding is a critical form of transportation for many Californians, and it’s especially important as we grow our cities’ rail systems,” Allen says. “Skateboards help to address our first and last mile commute challenges in a clean, safe manner, and we hope the Governor will promptly update the Executive Order to address the needs of those relying on skateboards for transportation. This will help skateboarders, their employers, congestion on our streets, and the local skateshop owners who have been impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis.”
Bike shops are recognized as essential, so this only seems fair. More information about this petition can be found here.
