While having the park set up was the first step

Kids in the hamlet of Conklin are getting a chance to ride. A hockey rink has been converted to a summer skate park and, after some paperwork and sponsorship, Lantix Skateboard Training is up and running.

“A company out there put some equipment inside this dome. It’s a hockey rink in the winter time, but in the summer it’s for kids, but they didn’t really have anything so they put in these ramps,” said Jamie Whitfield, organizer and trainer of the lessons. “There’s a mini-ramp, half-pipe, a few other ramps, some rails.”

While having the park set up was the first step, Whitfield knew from experience that to get kids using the equipment they’d need some hands-on education.

“I gave them (the Conklin Community Association) a proposal,” said Whitfield. “I got a schedule made up, put a lot of work into it, and we started it last Thursday.”

Whitfield, a long time resident of the Wood Buffalo region, has been on and off boards for the last 15 years. Starting when he was 12, he spent about 10 years training hard and made it to a fairly high skill level. In the early 2000s he even helped organize a competition in Fort McMurray. He describes the group he skated with in his youth as being as close as family, and that’s an aspect of the skate culture he looks to bring to the kids.

“I know a lot of kids nowadays are getting in to more trouble. There’s not too much opportunity out in Conklin for these kids,” he said. “They have all the equipment now, I’m going to teach them how to properly ride a skateboard before they even get into the tricks.”

For the first few sessions he’s had 18 kids turn up, ranging in age from four to 16, both boys and girls. He’s broken them up into two groups, taking the younger ones earlier in the day while the older ones work summer jobs.

“Everything is free for the kids, from the board, helmet, elbow pads, knee pads and shoes,” said Whitfield. “It’s not me that hooked them up, it’s the companies that hooked them up.”

The first day included taking shoe sizes, since some of the kids didn’t have appropriate foot wear. While Whitfield has put the organizational energy into the program, he’s received sponsorship from some of the local companies.

“Without the generous donation from Kingdom Cats Ltd., T.J’s Oilfield, Tartan and Kazaam Skate and Snow, this wouldn’t have been possible,” he said. “All it take is a couple good ideas and people help for a good cause.”