Victory for the BMXers @ Brighton skatepark!

[bnd]

This is what I have had on my plate for the past 3 days.

Sunday morning.
I showed up at the Brighton/Cottonwood skatepark around 9am. The place was littered with garbage as usual from the skater group the day before. I spent 20 minutes picking up garbage + cig. butts. I told myself I would call firs thing Monday morning & complain.

Monday morning.
I called Dan, the guy in charge that I usually talk to about problems with the park. I was informed due to cutbacks that the park was going to be "free for all" (no time frames) for BMXer's, skaters & rollerbladers. I was really upset & told Dan my concerns. He said his hands were tied & there was nothing he could do. He gave me the number of his boss who, along with a few others make the rules.
I then called this guy, Bart Hopkin. I told him excatly what the BMX crowd that frequents this place on Sundays mornings were like. Respectful, family oriented, clean & take pride in our local park. I told him that we always clean up before & after ourselves. I told him how people come from all over the valley on Sunday mornings just so they can ride with other riders. I told him how other parks that allow "anybody can ride anytime" turn into a zoo. Lots of anomosity between the 2 sports & it only creates problems. I told him how my homemade sign I hang on the gate when I get there let's people know it's our time until 11am. I begged him to at least let us keep this Sunday mornings exclusivly for BMXers.

He told me he couldn't make any promises but would take my proposal under consideration. I wasn't too optimistic as I know how Goverment works sometimes & it's easier to take peoples opinion & brush them aside (Twin Peaks 95-6").

Tuesday.
I just got a call from Bart, he said he talked it over with his council & they decided to have the park open Monday-Saturday open to all riders. But, on Sunday mornings it is still BMX only from 7am-11am YEAH!!!!

I'm asking our loyal readers & anybody who goes up to Brighton skatepark on Sunday mornings to first, please make a visit up there weather permitting until outdoor season opens up. Show your support!!

Second, this guy went to bat for us so please call him & thank him personally, it will only take a few minutes & it will show him what kind of support the BMX crowd has. I would like to think at least 5 people will take the time tonight to at least leave a voice mail, he leaves/left @ 4:30pm. I hate asking for favors but this is important to me. A simple "thank you" is all it will take. If you made a call please chime in here & let me know.

Bart Hopkin.
801-943-3270, then punch in his ex: #102.

See you next Sunday weather permitting!

b.

[ZDM]

Congrats BND! That is definitely a victory.

I really like the Sandy Skatepark, but the "family friendly" aspect of your Sunday get together has me as a convert. The "open season" aspect at Sandy hampers my ability to gain any type of form/function(practice makes perfect, right), and it scares my daughter to try much of anything as well.

So kudos to you, I'll give Bart a call, and if I can get my daughter moving on a Sunday morning, I'll see you there!

[PAPAWHEELY]

Way to go Bruce!!! I will call Bart tonight for sure.
Last sunday was my first time at that park and even though Kaden and I got there late, we still had a great time. Yes, skaters get annoyed when you take their lines,but oh well. I tried to get Kaden to drop into the bowl again but it wasn't going to happen.
Right now I'm toying with Phoenix or Virgin bmx for the weekend, but depending on weather, I'll probably stay home and go to the skatepark instead.
Thanks Bruce for sticking with it and not letting Brighton turn into another Sandy.
Matt

[stephen kisslinger]

YOU CAN BE REST ASSURED WHEN I "DROP-IN" ALL SK8TERS "CLEAR OUT" , BUT THAT WAS A HUGE GAIN FOR THE BMX COMMUNITY , MAYBE WE COULD WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO GET A PIECE OF LAND TO BUILD PUMP TRACK AND MAINTAIN IT OURSELVES, LET'S MAKE UTAH THE PLACE TO BE FOR BMX!!!

[stephen kisslinger]

YOU CAN BE REST ASSURED WHEN I "DROP-IN" ALL SK8TERS "CLEAR OUT" , BUT THAT WAS A HUGE GAIN FOR THE BMX COMMUNITY , MAYBE WE COULD WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO GET A PIECE OF LAND TO BUILD PUMP TRACK AND MAINTAIN IT OURSELVES, LET'S MAKE UTAH THE PLACE TO BE FOR BMX!!!

[b2]

Bruce, I applaud you for the success your efforts have yielded. Having time for just bikes is great as the skater population obviously outnumbers the biker population. I'll try to drop a thank you as you have requested, good idea.

At the same time, I hate seeing people bad mouth skaters with gross generalizations. I've actually spent more time on a board (skate or snow) than a specific discipline of BMXing and I still feel that a large part of me is a "skater" even though I hardly ever touch my skateboard any more (but I'll probably throw it in the truck when I head to the park(s) in case I feel the need to try to bust some ollies over the hip--or bust a hip trying to ollie). I'm not saying that anyone here is making these generalizations, I'm just saying that doing so only perpetrates the "us vs. them" mentality when there are, and you know it's true, bad apples in both (all) bunches of the things that we love. I saw it the worst with the snowboarder vs. skiier issues of the 90s and at a certain point decided I wasn't going to subscribe to that point of view and just ride with those who wanted to just ride--no matter their preferred method of descending a slope or carving a bowl or half-pipe or jumping a gap...

amen.

[bnd]

Brent,
Thanks for the props & please do make that call.

I think Iv'e got more skater blood in me than anybody in here. I grew up in Santa Cruz & rubbed shoulders with the legends of the sport. I've met Olson, Alva, LaMar, Bowman, Caballaro, the list goes on. I skated the old Soquel skatepark, Derby skatepark in Santa Cruz (documented as one of the oldest in the U.S.!) & even visited Winchester in San Jose bitd. My bro, a friend & myself were taken thru the Santa Cruz/NHS warehouse at 11pm at night by Duane Peters.

I knows me some skateboarding! I had to give it up when we moved to Draper in 1981 & there was seriously 1 paved street.

I know that the "us vs. them" thing isn't good but honestly, until somebody proves me wrong I'll continue the stereotype. I've met a few skaters on Sunday morning that were cool but they were older & with their kids. When I picked up that trash Sunday morning, there were 3 teens there, 2 skaters & a bud on a bike. They just stared at me while I picked up the garbage around them. I just get disgusted by the crowd that leaves the mess Saturday nights & it just happens to be skaters only.

....Maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age.

Anyways, hope to see everybody come Sunday morning around 9:30am.

b.

[b2]

Dear Mr. Cranky Pants (aka bnd, aka Bruce).

You've definitely had some experiences that very few have had you list there. I'm sure those were some crazy exciting times--Peters?! Wow! You're lucky to not have a record...

I'm just trying to share my philosophy on generalizations and trying to stop the hate that can come of it. "all skaters are punk slobs"... "all bikers are weenie whatevers"... "skiiers are uptight jerks"... "snowboarders ruin the mountain"... "motorcyclists are rude jerks"... "people with tatoos are ignorant a-holes"... "people who drink are inbred heathens"... the examples could go on and on.

Me, I'd rather try to talk with someone and say, "hey, what's up? don't you think you could show some respect for what another person's view points are? Show some gratitude towards the fact that you have this amazing place to ride your <insert weapon of choice> and help to take care of it?" I'm sure most of the kids who get to ride the parks now have NO IDEA the drought that once existed in the skate/bikepark world so they don't know what it's like to NOT have the facilities to ride. And now it seems that every municipality has a park--almost to the point that skating and/or biking in a park is a pseudo-legitimized sport! What? Never! Those derelicts belong on the streets! Living under the viaducts!

Overly optimistically yours,

brent.

[Jackie]

Nice work , thanks for representing all of us. I also called and left a voicemail last night thanking Mr Hopkins for allowing us to enjoy our sport with our families. As it warms up we will make some quest appearances on Sun AM

[sparkoli2]

you make a deal then go to rocksprings to race? what happens when the guy shows up to see all of you and your gone except for steve. better hope for snow or all the good will be for nothing.

[BLong]

I've actually spent more time on a board (skate or snow) than a specific discipline of BMXing and I still feel that a large part of me is a "skater" even though I hardly ever touch my skateboard any more (but I'll probably throw it in the truck when I head to the park(s) in case I feel the need to try to bust some ollies over the hip--or bust a hip trying to ollie).

Wow - image is totally blown. Somehow the troll thing is ringing out once again.

HAHA - jk


Good work, Bruce. Maybe I will roll the kid out of bed at 5:30 one Sunday so he can share in the benefit.

-Brian

[bnd]

I will be there at 9:30am sharp to get in some riding. Anybody who wants to get their sprints in too can join me in some figure 8 runs in the park.

Thanks for your support!

b.

[gwwaller]

Way to go Bruce!!!! I'll definitely leave Bart a message and we'll have a car load of BMXers out there to support the effort.

See everybody there!!

Wayne
"The Dude in Blue"

[gwwaller]

We showed and waited there until 9:00...Gate was locked????? The guys got restless, so we took off to Sandy.....It was worth it though, we were the only ones there and the gate was unlocked....Maybe next time....