CHAPTER 3
A NEW PARK?

After some discussion, the group agreed to stop at a quick burrito place. As Avani sat down at the table, she listened to the rain pelting the windows.

Why did it have to rain today? The one day we can go to an actual skate park? she thought.

Once everyone had gotten their food, Dad said, “So, while you all were skating, I got the agenda for the next city council meeting.”

Krish rolled his eyes. “Really, Dad? That’s your exciting news? Your meeting agenda?”

“Local government is exciting. I’m not just saying that as a council member. It’s for everyone,” Dad said with a twinkle in his eyes. “And in this particular case, you will be interested.”

“What is it?” asked Maddy.

“Oakdale is thinking of putting a skate park in the big empty lot next to the library!” Dad said.

“Really?” exclaimed Avani. “That’s, like, only a five-minute walk from home!”

“The skate park isn’t for sure yet,” said Dad. “The city council doesn’t have a good sense for how many people would actually use it. They also want some ideas of what it should look like. They want local skaters to talk at our next meeting.”

“I can’t believe it!” said Avani. “This is the best news ever! If Oakdale gets a skate park, that means no more long car rides.”

Maddy and Krish were excited too. The three of them immediately started brainstorming.

“The park definitely needs a bowl. Maybe even one with a spine in it,” said Maddy. “Not only would skaters use that, but scooter kids would too.”

“The park also has to have boxes, ledges, and a stair set,” said Avani.

“And some hubbas and a Euro gap,” added Krish.

“Whoa!” said Dad. “It sounds like you are speaking another language! What are these things?”

“Do you have a pen?” Avani asked.

Dad took a pen from his jacket and handed it to her.

Avani took the paper place mat off her tray and flipped it over. She started sketching.

“They’re all skate park features. This is a stair set,” Avani explained. “Good skaters can do flat ground tricks down them. The brave ones will also hit the hubbas, which are flat, sloped ledges.”

Krish grabbed two more pens from the counter. He and Maddy flipped over their place mats and started sketching too.

“This is a spine,” said Krish. He had drawn a long, thin ledge. On either side was a curved wall. “Some people go over it. Others do stalls, where they sort of hang on the ledge for a second.”

“And this is a Euro gap,” said Maddy, pointing to a sketch. “Basically, it’s a ramp with a gap up to a flat part. You have to jump over the gap.”

“These sound like great features!” Dad said. “Now you just have to figure out how to present them at the meeting next Thursday and convince the city council to build it all.”

“This coming Thursday?” asked Krish.

“That’s in five days!” said Maddy.

“We’ve got to get to work!” added Avani.

Dad smiled. “See? Local government is for everyone.”