After watching the X-Games four years ago Logan Kaiser decided to take up skateboarding, but he has no safe legal place to improve his skills, which is why the fifteen year-old would like to see a skate park in Orion Township.
‘I want a skate park because kids have no where to skate. You can’t go to public places like a Kroger’s parking lot or a strip mall plaza,? Kaiser said. ‘We have a bark park for dogs, playgrounds for kids, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, but we don’t have a skate park.?
He appeared before the Orion Township Board at the Sept. 4 meeting with over 300 petitions in hand hoping to gain support for his cause.
‘Sometimes it costs too much money and time to drive way out to other facilities or to pay $10 for two hour session just so you can skate,? continued Kaiser. ‘It would be nice to have something here in Lake Orion for the kids to be able to use at their free will.?
Using the Auburn Hills skate park as a model and scale size, he said there was an ideal spot at Friendship Park where a skate park could be placed. The Auburn Hills site cost $250,000 but that included, price of the land, buying a house that was on the property to demolish, building a parking lots, bathroom facilities and water fountains, and a call box.
With Friendship Park already having all of that, Kaiser, estimates a skate park could be built on a high side of $200,000.
If support is given by the board, next steps will be to figure out how to fund the project.
Besides skateboarding, Kaiser is a second degree black belt in karate and teaches Karate at the Great Lakes Athletic club, he plays LaCross, enjoys family time and time with his friends. He has also been on the honor roll since first grade and an honors student since fifth. After high school he plans to go to med school.
This having been his first time dealing with local government, Kaiser said the experience has him thinking about the future.
‘It’s got me thinking about things like what can I do to help my community and I feel I’m basically a spokesperson for somebody in my community,? he said. ‘The smallest thing can make the biggest difference.
‘At one point in time every kid gets a skate board,? continued Kaiser. ‘Why not give them a place to learn and see if they get into it and really enjoy it.?
This story was written prior to the meeting for early deadline. To see more on the board’s thoughts and comments checkout Sept. 12 editionof the Lake Orion Review.