I’d like to address a certain group of BMXers who seem to be under the impression that their actions and presence in Coventry are the defining contribution to the scene. Let’s be completely clear here, as I’m not into hating, especially for BMXers, as I got into skateboarding through BMXing for 2 and a half years, and have many friends who are rad BMXers. As a major campaigner for a new skatepark in Coventry, I wouldn’t want to put in all of this hard work to find a small group of people trying to cause conflict with skateboarders yet again, therefore undoing any work that’d got the council on our side as a positive community. There are many skaters who will think this is the stupidest thing they’ve ever read, but I think there’s a fairly substantial number who will probably agree with what I have to say.
Let’s first address the fact that there are a great deal of skaters in this city who have skated since Covpark was first built. They’ve been attending that skatepark for years and I know that the older skaters don’t take kindly to being snaked or bitched about by a group of local kids. As I’ve said before our skateparks are there for everyone to use, so it makes little sense constantly bitching to each other about “too many skateboarders”. Even when people get in the way, most of the skaters in Cov have the decency to apologise for it, whilst the group I’m referring to seem to think that manners are beneath them.
Secondly, let’s address the so called “plan” to ruin Covpark Combat 4 that had reached me via chinese whispers. Now, from one angle, yes, it might seem unfair that for one day of the year (which was actually more like about 4 hours of one day of the year), the skatepark was being used for a competition for skateboarders. But, on the other hand, none of you took into account the hard work that had gone into that competition, the fact that your local BMX and Skate shop (which has supported BMXing longer than skateboarding) was sponsoring it, the representation by a worldwide known shoe company, the backing from an official university society for skateboarding, plus skaters from as far as Stoke On Trent and Milton Keynes were coming to support Coventry and those who skate in this city. If I’m being honest, I think it’s utterly childish to have such territorial arrogance over one skatepark, when there are 4 others to choose from in within a 30 minute ride. Also, the fact that a BMX demo was on in the middle of town, where many of the BMXers who have been part of this scene for years (and are friends with most of those who were running Covpark Combat) were riding and probably organising a big street session.
All of this, plus the fact that Covpark Combat 4 was supposed to be a showpiece that could show the council how many skateboarders would be willing to travel to this city for an event with our current facilities, therefore showing how much more well received a great skatepark could be. Those of us who have been part of the skate, BMX and blading scene for years know that this kind of hard work is easier if everyone just co-operates and supports those doing the work; so why should the work go forward if you’ve got a bunch of selfish kids trying to cause problems in a space where social studies have proven has a great lack of conflict.
Now I’m way over 20, the downward spiral of complaining about “the kids” seems to be getting worse and worse, but I know there’s been a great deal of anger and frustration over the childish way that a small group of skatepark users have been acting. It’s not all BMXers, as there are people in the skate and blader scenes who also need a kick up the arse, but it currently appears to be one group that are unknowingly causing annoyance to everyone else. Some of you already knew a skatepark project was underway, and it seemed odd that you couldn’t realise that being so aggressive, uncooperative and bitchy towards the local skaters would never help push things forward.
Let’s try and be a bit more friendly to each other in future shall we? (Sorry for the essay)
The Terrible Company 
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