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Be The Influence - Windham Skateboard Park Interviews

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Laura Morris, Be The Influence director interviews Eliza Adams, WMS Health Teacher, Linda Brooks, WIndham Parks and Rec Director and Matt Cyr, WMS SRO and Manchester DARE officer about the proposed rejuvenated Windham Skateboard Park.

Show Transcript

I am more words for director of waiting cause I know you're so excited here today we're at the window today card I have three cats that I'm headed to introduce you to a line to Adams what the health center at Lincoln middle school we have Linda Brooks who's the director of The Parks and Recreation hearing again and we have mac Sierra very cool resource start at Linden Middle School DARE officer officer officer wow we could go on and on I can spend that to you so that when kids are engaged mijo activities 16 wickets going to reasons to make healthy decisions in our future in the lies and I can't think of creating a better people to talk about that and let me guess we have here today so let's just open that up why do you think you could engagement is he cool cats like to take risks and it says wrist that helped to shape how they make decisions and how they decide what is safe and unsafe and I think that when we give kids lots of opportunities score ways to to take risks and push the envelope into do interesting and exciting things never really contributing in a positive way if we leave it up to random or some unfortunate choice the holy place in our kids at risk but I take them were looking at what we do would be the influence we really want to do things that engage the kids Embrace that are fun and interesting and have some great with tutu that's how it will help to shape the kids of our future billions of those types of activities and we'll get to that in just a minute in school old Linda in the community well I think that keyword that kids have to be part of a community and it's not just woke Moody because they leave there at 2:30 in the afternoon they need to be part of their grade of community and it can be in there parks in their playground another sporting events but it needs to continue a lot of times there's that Gap that happens as soon as they stop playing sports or are too old to be attending camps or things like that and we want them to continue with us at Parks and Recreation we feel like you said in the beginning and you just continue on through if you are in middle school then you become a senior camper and you do some leadership activities if you want to continue after that your counselor in training it's all it's it's all a process that you just continue to give to you Prima tea and remain involved I'm here at the skatepark it's a really good opportunity for them to just have a place to go that's kind of bears we encourage ownership of this place we encourage them to be invested and involved and we have a project about to go under way that you can evolve with you for years and you've already seen two trends like what what helps to keep kids off drugs I put one of them farting is that kids are given both structured and unstructured activities to do I think one of things we found today societies we as adults have tried to make things so structured recreation time playtime so struction for them that we've gotten away from sing like the skate park where they come here and they they have their free time to be creative on their own to be to take those positive risks to play with each other for lack of a better way to to to and I think one of those the side benefits that we get out of that as a fact that if we look back to prior to us having a skatepark you know as a patrolman working here and Wyndham one of the things I was regularly doing is going to North Windham where it was a bunch of David around and some curves and things like that the kids are just up there trying to skate do their thing and the business owners didn't want them there because of you no fear of liability they had customers or trying to walk in and the kids were being kids and they were cautious about not cutting people off a roller for skating out in front of cars but our answer to that prior to having a skatepark was to give a criminal trespass notice take them off the property when they showed back up and this is another one of those situations where you can't arrest your way out of a out of a problem we had to find something positive to give the kids so we have the first opportunity to build the park I'm going to push my 18 19 years ago now more than you know we saw like a 36% drop and not crying right after we put in the park it's absolutely huge and it's unstructured time it's it's a safe environment it's like to see its structure unstructured because we do have some rules that kids have to follow they have to respect each other they have to respect Spectators the respect the equipment but really it's on structured so and as a side note I think one of the things that I found her interesting I work in the schools a lot but one thing's at that prevents me from doing is getting out into the neighborhoods in that off time and one of the side benefits of me working Patrol this summer please don't tell the chief was the it was the fact that one thing that really struck me when I was patrolling through neighborhoods of Summer I don't see kids out playing and that's sad and unfortunate never even seen him walking around and I and I was just some of my fellow officers and I asked him about this I said you ever see kids out there playing and their response was no we don't we no longer see kids hanging out in North when we no longer see kids out in their neighborhoods and I thank to our own analysis of it it was the fact that they're all inside doing their video games or watching TV or interacting each other with each other electronically and there you go that's kind of where I was going with this is one of the things Electronics that's okay for them to use but everything needs to be in moderation they need to have more opportunity to be able to come out and do something positive and have that unstructured playtime you know you take a ride down to Dundee and you just chicken swimming and that's unstructured time but they are at the same time watched by somebody my life guard but really the kids are just out there having fun on the raft on the beach and and and how does that Atlanta kids staying drug free they're out there they're happy there something enjoyable they're doing something fun they're getting that endorphin release it been looking for and decide consequences as they don't have to deal with demographics so there are kids who don't have transportation there are kids who don't have the money to pay to come from home that aren't teaching them coping skills resiliency skills and so by you gave me in these types of opportunities relief some of the things it will get to the skatepark I promise more the details on that it was just talked about some of the youth engagement ideas exist in the schools and in the community I like to use you lunch at the middle school tell us about some of the things you do there and Middle School their captive audience and what I really appreciate about Wyndham is we have so many levels of things that we work together on to really make it a complete package which is where I think handprints really tied the room together after school we have a highly effective health education program we have sentences help for grade 6 7 & 8 some prevention so I think that that's pretty effectively have been numbers that prove that are education approaches are keeping our numbers down and that really makes a big difference but our teachers have done some projects that engage the kids in prevention or marijuana or cigarette prevention I do something in my classroom called The Tobacco awareness Fair which I think it's a brass I think that tobacco prevention should should be fun and I think the kids would say that it is history of the opioid prevention program that was done with a team of teachers and another health teacher it really should be fun and engaging so I'm in your tobacco I thought you always make it fun they do at my house as they create their self and they feel good about themselves it's all about building self-esteem that the opiate project was like a Back to the Future theme and they had the wrong road if you went down this way if you want to park you two would be this way and they made their own news articles in space had a real of DeLorean out front and so similar to your projects I want to hear more news. That's where we make them feel good about call abilities and how they're contributing and I take that back to the future project that was done last year by seventh grade teachers really is the future of of Education it's really a fun amazing project that not only engages the kids important and life-changing message for the community as well so I think that was very effective can you talk a little bit about the community so we have this 15-foot mural 6.5 seed with a lot of markers and it was a great message about being drug free and the Wyndham Raymond's and be the influence and really it was a wonderful experience to just have kids come in and color and talk can talk about the message and there's really something special that happens when I would just look at sitting around waiting tables put together with markers just working on a little space in having conversations I want to say this how does the coloring, but really it was so much more and it was just I think of really positive way to have some great conversations and it tied it is a kids that would have regularly come out to other things it was a community so just so we know Carol makes it way around the community that has one more site is going to be in September and if you check our Facebook page and see where I'm at the Raymond library right now in terms of parks and rec. I will promote this site allows mention that it was a great idea last year that you folks didn't work in a capitalize on it and we want to introduce yet another year old that will rotate around the community at our Art in the Park this will be our second annual Art in the Park on Saturday October 3rd the connect in the park next to town hall and we'll do a community collaborative art project we have a design in place for yet another mural that will focus on the skatepark and was coming with that but an opportunity for everybody to have a little roll in and make colorful Peter opportunity I would like to sponsor that particular you're a little beans hanging at the skatepark in your local be seen over and over again and I'll make sure to contact Linda orbit show the answer to the riddle it's funny we were joking earlier about the fact that I made some kids color it okay and they gradually went down and they're like yeah okay will do this but I think I teaching lesson out of that was that even though you may not want to do something that's positive for our community we don't want to get involved we really should step up and get involved and that was a discussion I had with the kids because now it was a collaborative Community effort and and that's what I want me the info on it says it's it's we are I mean we'll put a plug in right now for me then fluids because the original concept is very It's a grand idea but at the same time it's kind simple when it's and it's reality because really what it stands for his be the influence we want everyone out there to be the influence it's not just keeping kids off of drugs and alcohol it's about all of us as a community coming together business Call Hurst religious figures School folks Rec Department police department most importantly parents are coming together and us working together to do what we can to make our commute visual recognized as a great place to be it is a great place to be however we want to make it even better with the be the influence program and it's it's everybody doing their part 2 to be the influence anything from apparently deciding not to have that glass of wine before they come to the football game to a business owner doing either promotions for their use that are working with them anything from get out having their staff sticker that says of the beer containers with none under 21 or or you know having those discussions if they hear the kids talking about all we got a party tonight let's go do that and then adult figure saying guys you know that could be dangerous and here's the consequences in and here's that if you have the party at your house here's the Civil Life but your parents would be sued if somebody gets hurt on your property so right younger Brains it's difficult to know but even if parents partake is it good for young people I didn't and so the more educated they can become where you fall on the legality versus that you let Kaylee ality everybody seems to have the same opinion they don't want kids using drugs around even pro-marijuana they don't want kids using drugs or alcohol the alcohol industry does not want kids using drugs or alcohol it's a parent's use irregardless. track of what is the things that we see in health education is that they make it our business to be up on the latest information on the latest research and we're teaching these things two kids and kids are actually in many respects better than what about the effects of these different substances been parents are because things have changed so fast so by engaging more parents we would like for the parents to be as educated as our kids are now about this so that we have ever good strong Continuum of understanding so why we say it's an infant what all in on it but we want to prevent or you I think they are adults in our community to have an understanding. he was but why are you one of the reasons much as it's bad but really understanding why it is and what it's doing to the brain so that's why one of our favorite things and be the influences teen brain under construction swimming team brain is developing and we're giving it everything that we can to make sure the vet team brain is going to just be the best brand of that could have came home it's important and I think sometimes we do that for a babies what time is what the  are you and Cody and of course the message of be the influence glad you guys enough for the Fantastic things that you do in this community let's talk about the skateboard park in specifically cuz this is one project that we're pretty passionate about because we really feel it will bring a lot of Engagement for you so I can start it with Park rack I know that you been in on that where am I I want to let you answer that because we haven't been in the neighbouring community when it was coming together and really what she did I'm in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Department staff back then was put Wyndham on the mat honestly in the state park Ralph I mean if people knew that in the region and and that's pretty important that a bad time for the state park it was just be expected any park after 20-plus years starts to have some age and everything and but I really think that what he started is so important and it gets how about that you don't know.. Population that is often wonder sold and they should have a backup under that statement to me this the place where that age group plays for the door actually it had nothing to do with it next time this is where they're bothering this is this is there this is there coffee and they have every right to have that responsibility so we never alone when I came in this time where are the elements that Matt Belton literally built anything nails and screw guns and everything they want that it was time for them to come down but we are really work having them we have a big plan. I remember the Heyday of the skatepark when kiss would be waiting just for space to get in and jug to take turns it when I would be teaching class and they are looking at the clock knowing that as soon as that bell rings are on their way down here and I am so sad to see the state that it's become because it it's a long opportunity for our entire community so I'm really excited about the prospect of bringing this back even better because we've seen it and we've lost it and now we know how precious it is take a look at what we have now because we really want to look into the future we want you to be part of that process of helping us to bring this back to life and we need support in order to do that so Matt what would you like to see fast food that really so like I said earlier and whoever was looking for a positive answer for juvenile crimes that were dealing with him and an opportunity came to app for a grant to the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group we applied for the grant put in this great concept we are going to take it and build a great skate park and we are going to expand the program that I can call Daryl adventure and I applied for 160 $70,000 I forget exactly what it was now World War II 13,000 that's all go ahead with your skatepark idea so how do we do this but it's so truthfully it was a huge learning experience not just for me but for the rec department also but there are some key elements that we wanted we wanted decent sized ramps because we are going hospices of when kids don't have a positive risk available to them they will naturally gravitate towards the negative risk so we wanted to make it Rescue by making some nice big tall ramps that really didn't exist in Maine whatsoever we took input from Zeus we took input from a person that we met that was able to build ramps and we set it up for the high school in the parking lot and and we have like 4 weeks we had well enough to think we had everything from town councillor saying it was going to fail. This is just a passing fad fad which was said by other people while the turnout was so Craig and soul are just so amazing Rihanna supervise we have music playing we did everything we could to have this cool and it was open till midnight on Friday and Saturday night so that the kids had that positive place to be and I was later hours when I say kids I mean can you sing teens have that positive place to be so it ended up being a huge success and then we had all these down the counselors and everybody coming to us saying hey we want to go to apartment at Park and we had Westfield High School at I'm saying Help support this but I need my parking lot back to high school and we ended up doing this site that you see here on donations and just about $10,000 that I was able to come up with and you know if you take a look at what we have here we've got now to prep this site the way it is if to start fresh as probably going to be 30 $100,000 once you put in Love bass hole text requires and so on and so forth right we've already so the good news is we already have some we have a big chunk of that so we have about the I had applied for land and water conservation fund of course that. Process is lengthy it's the federal government so it took us awhile to know that we had actually been approved and will receive the fun so what in the middle of back process this is going to be part of a larger Park this is becoming the Wyndham Community Park you look you look behind you in the gardens are there we have a very active community garden group we have a concept plan that has been developed already and it will basketball courts volleyball playground and walking trails benches and just meet you know we know that this site will become a place for all ages however the skate park is right there on the top of the priority list and the grant that we have written it's going to help do those with the site work for the park itself the whole part and then to the skatepark is the first element to be built with a walking path you'll probably have parents what's that are also here mixed in with the TSX Craig the Fantastic effort so what we do at the community so we have already we started we had our first meeting on July 30th and we had approximately 8 skateboarders in their 20s they're not they're not just young teens and they are so excited and they have enthusiasm and energy and some life experience and they want to tell everybody how important this part has been to them and still is I'm so they didn't go away it's not bad it's it's it's not a trend it's a part of who they are so we are they gave some important we're looking at is at Plaza style concrete park that's what a lot of them they wanted Faith they told this gentleman all what they're looking for in the elements that they like and they were provided with a questionnaire to pay questionnaire that they all really filled out in detail why do a lot of information so that company will be coming back with to contact plan folks will have an opportunity to kind of boat on their favorite and it'll what will make that very public so that they can do that we do have a fundraising event and so we had $100,000 dedicated to the park right now we have every plan we want to apply to some other grant opportunities the Tony Hawk Foundation being one of them and that that needs to be a concrete in order for them to find that so that's one of the elements we've already met that we've met that so we want to add to that hundred thousand dollars on the skateboarders themselves that were at our meetings they came again to the advisory committee two weeks later so they are and they are Thailand and they brought a few of their friends to the second meeting I'm so they want to be here we're looking at the last weekend in October we need to finalize which day and which time that would be they like to have kind of a skateboard and do they want to have a barbecue and then kind of show off their stuff and have some prizes and free lessons and they have a lot of ideas but that was kind of their teeth off one and we are so excited to be working with that where should they officially they can contact me at the parks recreation department and we have a website that can find information right there when the recreation.com coloring we can that would be I will be there yes we'd love to have sponsorships for that and have that ready for October 13th event okay and that will kick that off and then we'll have it be going around the community again with other people contributing to it. but I really what you need is funds you may have some people that might have some skills they might want to donate over which is nice and wonderful but really what you need is funds because it's going to be a port it's a point in place concrete State Park South will be putting that out to bed and somebody will be coming in to do that it will need to be in order to quote to fulfill the needs of our grant that will be completed by September of 2019 but much more likely spring of 2018 though so come to the event at the end of the newspaper for details as to when it will actually be we need to solidify that spark event coming up October 13th 1 to 4 Saturday and she wants to make a donation without being solicited there while watching us they want to help out the skatepark and just go see Linda you don't need to be like to meet you all the ways to be a square just going to see one day and donate what you want and I'm sure I will make sure everything is spent the right here at the skatepark so and I might like you too everybody's a prospect we can make a huge difference in this community with these types of activities with just being a good role model for everybody and helping that process soap bus just checking thank you so much for coming and sharing always the same

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Be The Influence - Windham Skateboard Park Interviews

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