While my chair will be with a different organization I am not going to fade into the darkness. I’ve agreed to help shepard Ed Benedict skate plaza and Gabriel skatepark through the design and construction process. I’ve been given the right to walk away but it’s funny how you get so invested in this ’silly little scene’.

My next goal is to organize a group consisting of tranny dogs and street rats to serve as an advisory group to PP&R. I won’t be able to consistently remind PP&R about Portland’s larger skatepark system. Like it or not, the entire skate community is going to have to take more ownership in helping to implement #6, #7, #8…

Sure you can sit back and let a core dozen or so do all the work. It’s easier that way. Or you can step up, get involved and really make a difference. Mark, Tom, Sarah, Randy, Grover, Rich, Sonny, Kent, Dean, Taj, Chad, Dave, Joe, Leandro, Ryan, Nick, Jesse, Flipper, and a couple others have followed me to more than their share of the over 85 meetings I have held in the past four years. They’ve done alot of work to make this all happen. Now the next group should put in their time.

Now I’m not expecting the typical 8 year old to be at public meetings fighting for their manual pad. But, if you can drive yourself to a skatepark and you don’t take the time to get involved in the bigger process, be a man and don’t bitch about the results on the internet.

And take it easy on my predecessor. They’ve got a great deal to learn about the project, the process, the personalities involved..and most of all, that they’re not going to make everyone happy.