Let me start quickly by stating this – we all need to get behind the push for the skatepark in St. Kilda, and I’ll explain why.

For those of you who have responded to my previous posts with vitriol and poor grammar, I’ll warn you now, this post will contain a lot of big words and complicated sentences. So if that scares you, just take a look at the poster below, write the date down in BIG CAPITAL LETTERS and get down there on the day. 

This park has taken far too long to come to fruition.

Its not a complicated thing, St. Kilda skateboarding residents have been waiting for an exceptionally long time for this park to be approved and built, and I am sorry – Elwood bowls just don’t cut it as a substitute. My riddled elbows can tell you that themselves.

The problem that has irked me for the past few weeks just popped into my head today, and it lies in the horrendous contradictions displayed by those who oppose the park.

I attended all of the council meetings, and sat through a lot of the barely lucid diatribes of those who opposed – and supported – the park (a special thanks must be awarded to Nick Buskins and Renton for being the voices of reason). The arguments of those opposing centred on the concerns of parent groups from the near-by primary school.

Much of their argument cantered around the supposed ‘anti-social behaviour’ that skateparks somehow attract, and the detrimental impact it would have on the beautiful façade that is Fitzroy Street, St. Kilda. The park would be to the detriment of the children at this school. This behaviour includes, but is not limited to, drugs, alcohol, graffiti and violence. I’m sorry, but when was the last time you were in Fitzroy Street after 10pm? How many skateboarders did you see?

Do these school children not travel down Grey Street early in the morning when many of the ‘workin gals’ are looking for that last job before they head home?

St. Kilda is a perfect illustration of all that is wrong with modern society. Homelessness, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, violence and lets not forget gentrification. How much damage can one skatepark do to exacerbate this problem?   

While I should credit those parents with children at that school who DID support the park, and skateboarding as an entity, I take huge offence to the contradiction of the opposing opinions regarding the construction of this park in light of recent events.

If you read the paper, or at least know what one looks like, you would be aware of the fanfare surrounding this particular school and the invitation of controversial photographer Bill Henson to ‘scout for models’.

Let me state from the outset, that I am a great admirer of Bill Henson’s work, and do not subscribe to any of the horseshit that he has been subjected to in the media. Henson is one of Australia’s greatest internationally recognised artists, and should be treated as such.

I would also like to state that I do not criticise this particular school for their actions in any way. I understand the concerns of the general public, however I think it has been blown well out of proportion.

Here’s the problem though – my argument lies with the parent groups. Many parents have come out in support of the school, and of Henson. The Olympic rower James Tomkins, who has children at the school, did not find what Henson does offensive.

Piggy-back comic Trevor Marmalade –  a vocal opponent of the skatepark – also voiced his support for the school in the media.

My question to these parent groups is this; if you believe Bill Henson is subject to great societal misunderstandings, then have a close look at your opinions of skateboarding.

Skateboarding is not represented by drugs, alcohol and violence. It is represented by the same forms of base expression and emotion that Henson’s work exudes. Not all skateboarders take drugs, not all skateboarders are violent, not all skateboarders are un-educated welfare cheats – much in the same way that Henson is not the creepy paedophile that the Herald Sun would have you believe.

How can you validate one form of controversial art, but not another? It does not make any sense, and smacks of cultural elitism – it is not a valid reason to oppose a planning permit.

If you can allow the utter monstrosity that is the façade of Sam Newman’s ‘Pamela Anderson’ apartment on Canterbury road, you cannot oppose a skatepark that will be landscaped in such as way to make it invisible to the school and – heaven forbid – passing residents.   

Sure, Henson is exhibited in galleries across the globe and is rightly considered a legitimate artist. Why then, is skateboarding any less legitimate when culturally rich cities like Barcelona allow skateboarding on their streets and monuments as a valid form of artistic expression  – specifically the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)?

This park has been put to VCAT again and again, and it is getting ridiculous.

Please get down to support this. The local nay-sayers no longer have an argument to stand on.