My name is Lewis, I am 36 years old and I don’t ride at the skate park at the War Memorial Park. I haven’t been on a skateboard for over 20 years. These days you will find me on my mountain bike, I ride at trail centres all over the country, in the woods around Coventry and even in the bomb holes across the Kenilworth Road from the War Memorial Park. I also regularly drive to Nuneaton/Solihull/Leamington Spa to ride on the BMX tracks there. The current skate park is too small for mountain bikes, so I do not ride there. So why am I interested in the skate park at the memorial park? The reason is that my three year old son, Owen, loves riding his bike there! He started off on a balance bike, before his second birthday and has recently graduated to a pedal bike. His first request as soon as he mastered pedalling was “can I take it to the skatepark now?”. After his first session at the skate park on the pedal bike he is finding it harder than on his balance bike, learning that he needs to build up speed before the ramps, rather than as he rides up them. But after each fall he was straight back on his bike, keen to try again! His baby brother, Henry, is also raring to go on his bike and I am sure he will also be a regular at the skate park. As a parent, a new skatepark in Coventry would mean that my boys will be able to continue progressing their bike skills, and other life skills associated with action sports, in a safe environment without having to leave Coventry. Hopefully I will be able to see my boys make their first jumps on their bikes, and then first tricks, at the skatepark!
Website: www.lewiscraik.co.uk Twitter/Instagram @lewiscraik.