Owner of Compadre Clothing Colin Commito Designs San Bernardino's New Skateboard Park

The fact that San Bernardino is facing extraordinarily challenging economic and social obstacles is not a secret to Southern California locals. The number of the residents of San Bernardino depend on Federal Assistance, the dropout rates of school children are on the rise and crime and violence continue to be significant problems. 

The good news is that the Citizens of San Bernardino have responsive elected and unelected officials working for them in City Hall. 

A stroke of fate and a meeting with an Operation Phoenix Board member at a skateboard shop in Redlands, CA created a relationship that would bond Compadre Clothing to the San Bernardino City Charity, The Operation Phoenix Foundation, and set into motion, a project that would encourage kids to engage in the activity of skateboarding.

I listened carefully as the Secretary of The Operation Phoenix Foundation, Kent Paxton, riffled of statistics about kids and crime in San Bernardino. The meeting was initially about selling Compadre T-shirts to raise money for charity, but the statistics sparked an idea. The idea that kids in San Bernardino needed to start skateboarding as soon as possible. Compadre would still sell t-shirts for the foundation but the main focus shifted to the construction of s skateboard park in San Bernardino. I explained to Kent my background in skateboarding and why I thought that skateboarding could mitigate problems in San Bernardino and keep kids busy. Kent picked up the phone at 8:00 at night and called the Mayor. I had a meeting the next week.

At the meeting with Mayor Morris, I explained the concept that skateboarding could serve as a viable alternative for kids to a life of crime and violence. Skateboarding inhabits a unique space in society. Skateboarding is on the brink of acceptance but is still considered rebellious anti-establishment and is considered criminal conduct in cities across America. A perfect activity for a rough group of kids. The Mayor accepted my proposal and fast tracked the project. 

After budget shortfalls and a PATHETIC DENIAL OF FUNDS FROM THE IDLE TONY HAWK FOUNDATION, the Team of City Officials, Kent Paxton, Mayor Morris, and I, with the gracious assistance of THE SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS allocated 756, 000 dollars for the "East Side Skate Park" in the worst economic environment since the Great Depression.

The "East Side Skate Park" will open late October as a symbol of the City's dedication to the the idea that skateboarding can serve as a viable alternative for kids to crime drugs crime and violence.

The negative, age-old reputation of skateboarding is changing.

The success of the San Bernardino/Operation Phoenix Skateboard Project is a testament to the fact that governmental views in respect to skateboarding are changing. 

I encourage every city to embrace skateboarding as a positive activity and hope that the benefits associated with skateboarding will become obvious.

Video Footage of The Fourth of July Skateboard Demonstration/GroundBreaking Can Be Found Soon at www.compadreclothing.com

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