Most college campuses typically have a huge population of their students riding bicycles to get around campus,and in some cases at these larger campuses a student will see back tires taken off the bikes which other students sell or use for their own bikes. Yet at USM there are no bicycles to be seen around campus due to it being a small campus. However there are many students who ride skateboards or long boards to get around or just for fun.

Luckily there are 22 skateparks near the school and  located in Kansas City, Kansas. Not only can you skate at these skate parks but there are also mini concerts that go on while skaters skate and do tricks by local bands, that just stop by to perform. Skateboarding has grown so much that now these teens are making their own skate parks such as the Harrison street DIY which is located in the Columbus Park neighborhood in Kansas city. The use of the park is stated byn harrisonstreetdiy.blogspot.com/ which has posted” This blog is for a community built skate spot project in the Columbus Park neighborhood of Kansas City.

We are hoping to utilize an unused lot in the corner of our neighborhood that has fostered unwanted behavior for years. We hope to transform this space to help fill a desperate need in the skateboard community for more spaces that allow skateboarding and also make the area a more usable and less dangerous place for everyone in the neighborhood.” Harrison street DIY is not only a skatepark for fun but it’s also to help teens and young adults find a good outlet for stressful things and it’s 44 minutes away from USM.

At the Harrison Street Diy there was a group who performed on the 14th of september and when asking people who were listening they said they got invited by evite through facebook or other social media.

Skateboarding started in Los Angeles,California  where skateboarders shredded the pavements and looked out for police who would try and stop them but a lot of history and culture comes from San Francisco, California where many skating companies reside and sponsor young skaters who want to make a break in the skating world. Since starting in California skating has grown so much and impacted many lives especially here in Kansas.

Charlis Vega is a freshman at the University of Saint Mary and is studying English.