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WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 12,1997 t� x � �' KATE
<br /> x � 4 � 3r s � ITEM 11.
<br /> ' SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS a Y a' k a ��. ` + CONTINUED FROM ID
<br /> is { a a'• a H °' i� afti,,-
<br /> ,, ?
<br /> ti, s k f � '� ° � f addressing "alternative emerging
<br /> v a ' a F, 1,k , recreation trends.,,
<br /> ,y . ' iK .c. �+ r r _ ' gip, - ° In an interview this week, Greg
<br /> ,- ' $ t ∎ ; , R ?, * _ said he d like to see an indoor park
<br /> ¢fir, , ' f �' /` £q " ` somewhere close to his family's
<br /> T F, h , ., „-61,„-,:,--.40-,,,,-,:-.-:, - • home on Summit Avenue, where
<br /> ` }h, a 4 ' " he skates indoors in the winter-
<br /> >k,A 4,'a '. , i v,``,1‘ r y at ,.,.Y. nt time. ..., ..
<br /> -a"` + n "31 .?. r`f " '0' ,`; '4 In the summer'he tries to skate
<br /> x� �, ja' r 5k"r' r ra�`x` t r r
<br /> rr 1. k F y � ? on steps and railings of public in
<br /> :l+d'i "-'''''',77,..-"),l''',14'.,- _ •, % Y $" °K Y yF {, Sy f
<br /> ; '� stitutions, but nearly always gets
<br /> y.4,,04,74,1:,4.-,,;.,,..'„,` z .' °, " ` '' � Y shooed away. At the park he pro
<br /> y� K'
<br /> t �` k - poses, I want them to have stuff
<br /> 1 �;} � fi `� x' ,� ' like ramps and rails and curbs,
<br /> ''''''';:r'54''''''::''''.175'';14'''' yM ° .i!n =•2 'fir -M3 ?' ,>
<br /> , h~u7 � �, i rxm q "�1x,&} +� - just like they would at a campus,
<br /> L �} � t �4 he said. "There's a-lot of skaters
<br /> , ,x s��,,�,„� �i ,�� , �';��"�� around rand Avenue, St. Thomas
<br /> r 72--' ,, '''';‘-,'-',4-191,', a < ? x s u ' , a*yk i cx�� :� ' �«k� , "7,4 � t � I, .41,4: University and especially Macal-
<br /> s , s,, #�, ester College that's one place
<br /> ,-A where they really get madl
<br /> �8'M 6'�' , , k Aggressive skating developed on
<br /> �4'.-0 ,., . f the streets of several U.S. cities
<br /> � r ,' , about seven years ago, and the' . 3�'xg .'Y' Twin •Cities area has more than
<br /> ,,,,,,40M%'," ':-•;',,,t. rt " 1 !' �; ,' � % r t 5 000 enthusiasts second only to
<br /> ,,•, t t a t . s 1� Chicago, according to store owner
<br /> 4.--3.31'.'�" >s ' k ,i , µY 4 Ban Squillace, 27. He opened the
<br /> ' � k a 'x£-c
<br /> wt , - f „,. Green Gecko near Macalester Coi
<br /> r ' ' ! t, a t -4fr .4. x lege 18 months ago.The merchan-
<br /> `° ,, i - ` ' dise catering to mostly young,
<br /> r"" �����.� ,, � j 6 4 � �-� �> g Y Y g,
<br /> r s ∎, � ' x' 3 mostly male_.customers, with• skates, .skateboards, wide-leg
<br /> 3 jeans, hooded sweatshirts and
<br /> x ; � T-shirts with industrial logos.
<br /> §t 1.i ,'n' �` ' :.. �'* _ Indoor rinks with ramps, rails
<br /> •
<br /> . , ash
<br /> ' y 1 - � 4 r .c and vertical pipes for aggressive
<br /> ¢ ,! , skaters and skateboarders have
<br /> �� � t opened recently in various Minne-
<br /> f sots communities,including one in
<br /> Mankato last fall and another in
<br /> }� .� �y _
<br /> South Minneapolis this month.
<br /> Skaters sign agreements to.skate
<br /> , , at their own risk.
<br /> �4 �iti�a.. , 41 '. , The Twin Cities
<br /> x�. °��. ,� � a� � r = h� ',.''.,:'• area has more than ,
<br /> . .'r 4 ,`�? ." Itk = t s 5,000 aggressive
<br /> '..'ill',-4.''
<br /> .`:`4 '.L' , ,yy� ; , `- - `<TAN ` ',f, -'1.-z j r ° skating enthusiasts,
<br /> _ � , � . �< .., ro; .. B , . ; .-.. , second only to
<br /> BILL ALKOFER/PIONEER PRESS
<br /> Twelve-year-old Greg Paulus practices"aggressive gating"in his basement. Even in summer,he is usu- Chicago.
<br /> ally shooed away from the steps,ledges and railings of the college campuses where he likes to go. by.Greg's family applauds his hob-
<br /> '
<br /> "Yes, I think it's very danger- i
<br /> For an EnghSh` ANN BAKER STAFF WRITER ous;" said Greg's mother, Fatty
<br /> assignment, A Paulus. "Greg's• always been a I
<br /> seventh-grader /'� 12-year-old who lives to skate — on railings, ledges and concrete steps— risk-taker. This is something he
<br /> will appear before the St. Paul Parks Commission tonight asking city officials just loves doing." Greg's father is
<br /> Greg Paulus to develop a indoor park devoted to his sport. It's called "aggressive skating." nationally known composer Ste-
<br /> wrote to the "Dear Members of the City Council: How would you like to get fined $35, phen Paulus.
<br /> yelled at, kicked out and harassed for Greg's grandmother, Vonnie
<br /> City of Ili
<br /> having fun and doing some- Stutzman, will drive him to the
<br /> St. Paul thing you love?" Greg Parks Commission meeting at 6:30
<br /> asking for Paulus wrote in December. p•m. tonight in Langford Recre
<br /> "Us so-called `aggressive ation Center.She,too, approves of
<br /> �tdoor skaters' or `trick rollerblading' the sport that has crptured the
<br /> for are the ones who slide across enthusiasm of her grandson and
<br /> `aggressive ledges,jump stairs and jump onto hand rails and grind down them on our his friends. "I figure if they can
<br /> skates. I do not know of any place that doesn't kick you off, and I've been to find something to keep busy,th is
<br /> skating.' The City about 30." the main thing."
<br /> parks commission The letter, which Greg wrote for a seventh-grade English assignment at St. 1
<br /> Paul Academy, made its way to the parks commission with a note from City ._-_--j.„
<br /> will discuss his Council Member Bobbi Megard observing that the city's parks plan calls for
<br /> proposal tonight.
<br /> SKATE CONTINUED ON 7D ■
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