Quite often people will approach me with column ideas. It's usually a complaint or beef that someone would like to express to get a point across and also a matter they feel would be of interest to the general public. Sometimes I run with it if I see their point and feel their passion. Well earlier this week I had someone ask me to write about the new skate park that's been built and was recently opened in Yorkton. With a price tag of more than $300,000 and through the dedication of many in the community it was a vision that came together with great success. Through a contest win and with the work and support of countless local residents as well as city council, it was a dream that was brought to reality. Did Yorkton need a new skate park? Well that's a question that has a debatable answer depending on who you ask. The city had a small park and there's no question money could have been spent in other ways, but the fact is, there are a large number of youth who enjoy the sport. There are also a large number of people - including plenty of youth - who were willing to take the time and put forth the effort to not only create something bigger and better than the city has seen before, but they made it happen. They worked long and hard to make a dream they believed in come true. Why? For the betterment of a community and to provide a recreational outlet for youth.
Now that all is said and done, it's great to walk by the park and to see the park being fully utilized. It's a healthy outlet for residents and it saves the sidewalks for pedestrians. So here's where the request for a column came in. The skate park comes fully equipped with several trash receptacles - yet - strewn all about the area one can often see trash. Not everyday as there are those who work to keep their new space clean and attractive but it happens all too frequently and no doubt as a result of those who had no investment (time or otherwise) in the park. What gets to me, and to the individual who brought the matter to my attention, is where is the respect? Where is the gratitude for the time, work and money that was put into this effort? If you're going to use the facility and you enjoy having it in your community, can you then at the very least have the decency to pick up after yourself? Would you prefer perhaps to going back to having no skate park at all?
There's always a select few who work hard to make things happen and to bring about change. If you're not one of those people that's fine, but can you do the rest of the general public the favor of not ruining things for the whole?
