Teens Need Parks, not iPads

It all started when my teenage neighbor next door asked me for a lift to a skatepark one town over. My husband wasn’t home to take him, and I was busy. “I wish we had a skatepark, he said.” Fast forward one city council meeting, and I was “all-in” when another kid said before the council, “[We’d like a skatepark.] We’re not bad kids.” No, they aren’t bad kids, and why is it we make them feel this way?! They’re good kids with a passion for skateboarding and a desire for independence.

My name is Angela. I’m a Newark, CA resident, and a mother of a 4-year old son. I’m a technical writer, and my friends tell me that I’m highly organized and a shrewd business woman. I’m starting a nonprofit, Newark Parks Foundation—to meet a community need, serving as the Foundation’s volunteer Executive Director.

Newark’s total population under 18 in 2013-2014 was 25.4%. The city and the school district expects the number of families to increase as a result of the city’s new housing developments (2,500+ homes) currently scheduled for construction, yet no new parks are scheduled for construction, investments in existing parks are unsubstantial, and deferred park maintenance is at an all-time high.

According to California Department of Education data for 2013-2014 school year, the health risk of Newark’s teens is more than double and sometimes triple than that of Fremont’s, Newark’s neighboring city. Whether the direct cause of these health disparities is income or education or both, one solution is greater access to free, neighborhood (aka “around-the-corner”) recreational activities for teens.

My community needs more urban parks and open spaces to meet our outdoor recreational needs, desire for gathering places, and health. I want to harness the grass roots volunteers and leaders that I’ve mobilized. My team and I have projects in the planning stage, including:

• City’s first skatepark for teens and pre-teens. Teens need safe places to socialize. Skateboarding fosters confidence, resilience, and independence. We’ve identified neighborhood parks with space for a skatepark!

• City’s first native plants garden (“demonstration garden”) for all to enjoy. The proposed site is a neighborhood park that serves at-risk youth and seniors. We already have a commitment from Native Plants Nursery to donate the plants!

• Tri-City Area’s first dirt-jump pump-track bike park. This is a popular sport among mountain bikers and BMX bikers of all ages, and it’s a family sport that brings people together from our neighboring communities. We’ve identified volunteer dirt track shapers/builders!

• City’s first off-leash dog park. For many residents, their pets are part of their outdoor experience. We have the public land!

To successfully deploy these projects, my team and I need to start up a nonprofit organization to acquire the necessary legal structure and status.

My city doesn’t have a nonprofit with our mission. My city is very small—only 45,000 people, and so the impact will be noticeable. Parks promote health and community, and, with your support, we’ll deliver on this vision.

Over the next 60 days, we are seeking to raise $3,000 to pay for the necessary state and federal filings, financial software, insurance, etc. If you share our vision, please donate now.

Angela Akridge, Executive Director

Newark Parks Foundation
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Facebook: Friends of Newark Skatepark or Instagram: @newarkskatepark
Website: www.newarkparks.org
Email: info@newarkparks.org