Skateboard ban draws complaints
By Seiji Ohashi
Staff
Writer
A Purdue student recently wrote a letter of concern
to the Purdue parking committee about lifting the ban for skateboarding
on campus.
Skateboarding is banned on all of Purdue's campuses,
but does not include residence hall property, according to Capt. Ron
Fosnaugh of the Purdue Police Department. The restriction was created
after extensive damage was done to the campus by skating.
"I think it's pretty discriminatory against skateboarders
because rollerbladers do tricks and grinds too," said Scott Thomas,
a freshman in the School of Technology.
Other skateboarders said they agree with Thomas
in that not all damage done to the campus from skating is due to skateboarding.
Another explanation to this damage that Purdue student skateboarders
feel is overlooked is that the damage could be done from non-Purdue
students.
In his letter, Thomas complained about the unclear
boundaries for the ban on the north and south ends of campus. He claims
that the restrictions are mapped one way and represented online in an
another.
Skateboarders stopped by Purdue police for skateboarding
receive a warning the first time, a $20 fine the second, a $50 fine
the third, and get their skateboard confiscated for the fourth offense,
according to Thomas.
The majority of the students have been complying
with the restrictions posted on signs placed in areas that are attractive
for skateboarders to skate in, said Fosnaugh. He also claimed that the
Purdue Police do not send out officers to patrol or look for skateboarders
but that those who are caught are caught by riding when an officer is
in the vicinity for other reasons. Fosnaugh also added that he wishes
students would stop sending complaints to the Purdue Police about this
restriction because there is nothing they can do about it.
"They (the Purdue parking committee) make the rules,
we just make sure people abide by them," said Fosnaugh.
Another solution that had been discussed in the
past was the construction of a skate park, although no movements have
been made to develop this idea. The construction of a skate park would
not change the fact that students cannot skateboard to class, but would
offer them a place to skate legally.
Area skateboarders said they feel that by constructing
a skate park, both students and Lafayette area skaters who do tricks
and grinds that may potentially damage the campus will start skating
in the park for tricks instead of on campus. They hope that this in
turn may convince the Purdue parking committee to allow students to
skateboard to class.
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