SINAC won't bail on new skate park in Clover Hill
By Richard Carrier
 

Sara Daves founded SINAC (Skateboarding is Not a Crime) last year. The group is now raising funds to build a skate park in the county.

When does injustice fuel a crusade, dissension spawn a campaign and controversy result in confrontation?

In Sara Daves' world, these things happen when the positive image of her teenage son is attacked and the innocent pastime of a few young people allegedly prompts police attention.

As a result, the 32-year-old single mother has rallied other Woodlake area parents to charter SINAC, an acronym for "Skateboarding is Not a Crime."

In July last year, Daves' group launched an ambitious campaign to raise significant funds and win county backing to build a skate park.

The impetus for the SINAC crusade was provided by "dissension in the community directed at our children," explained Daves.

According to Daves, her 13-year-old son, Trey, and several of his friends regularly skateboarded in Woodlake's Village Square until merchants objected so strongly, the group moved to an adjacent shopping center under construction.

"These are polite, respectful, clean-cut kids. Most of them are honor roll students," observed Daves. "Even [at the shopping center that was under construction], they have been run off and run over, disrespected and disillusioned."

The final straw came when Chesterfield police allegedly detained some of the boys at the Woodlake pavilion.

"They knew they were not supposed to skate there. They also knew there were security cameras there, so they were not going to do anything wrong," Daves said. "They were just waiting out a rainstorm under the pavilion."

According to Daves, police officers held the boys at the pavilion until their parents could pick them up.

"The police's attitude was off the wall, bizarre. I couldn't believe it," recalled Daves. She said the department's duty sergeant later apologized for his officers' conduct, but a subsequent public relations trip to the police station failed.

"We gathered up three carloads of skateboarders and took them to the police station for a get-acquainted visit. [The police officers on duty] just blew us off. They were totally disinterested. And, we took them brownies!" said Daves, shaking her head incredulously.

SINAC ultimately took its crusade to the Chesterfield Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission last October.

"Our goal was to teach the kids the value of persistence and perseverance, [to] give them a lesson in civics and how to blend in with the community and reduce hostility," explained Daves.

Along with SINAC Technical Advisor Scott Johnson, Daves challenged the commission to "take the responsibility." Surprisingly, even though its department is faced with a dearth of funding and a lack of space for new facilities, the commission agreed to address the SINAC proposal and offered guidance.

Commission Member Tim Russell supported a skate park in every district. Tim Mick, another commission member, noted interest in a skate park for the Harrowgate area. More significantly, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation Director Mike Golden confirmed there was some funding earmarked for skate parks in the county's Capital Improvement Plan.

SINAC proposed a skate park at Clover Hill Elementary, and the commission advised the group to develop a skate park design and usage plan.

That location has since changed. SINAC is now hoping to build the park at the Clover Hill Sports Complex, located off Genito Road.

"They gave us a figure of $50,000 and asked us to try and match it," recalls Daves.

Armed with optimism and enthusiasm, but little experience, SINAC set about raising funds for the project.

The group soon ran into the brick wall of harsh reality.

"You have to have money to make money," Daves discovered. "Car washes, flyers, scratch cards and anything else we could think up have just covered the costs of insurance, supplies and setting up the Skate-A-Palooza [fundraiser] held on June 17."

Despite SINAC's efforts, Daves admitted raising funds for the skate park has been difficult. Undeterred, she said, "We'll raise the money, even if I have to stand on the street corner and do it myself. I have to do this."

So, what's Daves' motivation?

"To get the kids off the streets," she answered. "[To] keep them from being outcasts [and] rebels without a cause."

For more information about SINAC, visit www.sinacmidlo.org.

How to help:

Next month, SINAC will host a golf tournament and Skate-A-Palooza to raise funds for a new skate park in the county.

The golf tournament is planned for August 3, starting at 1 p.m., at Birkdale Golf Club. The entry fee is $100 per person or $400 per team.

On August 19, beginning at 12 p.m., skateboarders will take over the entire 800 block of Grace Street in Richmond for Skate-A-Palooza. The entry fee is $7 per person plus $2 for the film clip contest held later in the day.

For more information, email sinacmidlo@verizon.net.