There’s an advocacy group for various sports in Greater Sudbury, so why not skateboarding?
Local skateboarders asked this question, and then something about it, forming the not-for-profit Ollie North Skateboard Association, which officially launched on Thursday.
“There’s been an active skateboarding community in Sudbury since the ’70s, so there’s always been a good scene in Sudbury, but it’s always lacked a collective voice,” association director Nico Taus told Sudbury.com during the group’s launch.
“Here we are, and we’re here to get to work, not only to help advocate, but also to have fun and support our existing scene.”
The group hosted a gathering at the Tom Davies Square courtyard on Thursday to introduce themselves to the community. It was a strategic location for the launch, Taus said, since they intend on serving as a collective voice for skateboarders when it comes to municipal projects.
Although the City of Greater Sudbury has been working to improve access to skateboarding facilities through their revitalization of outdoor courts, Taus said the collective voice of Ollie North will help fine-tune these efforts.
“The city might have trouble knowing who to talk to when it comes to consulting on these projects,” he said, adding that insights from skateboarders will help determine their choice of obstacles and park layout to ensure these parks reach their potential.
“We hope to step in and be that voice and educate the city and other community groups on what to look out for,” he said.
“We’re organized, we’re serious and we’re ready to get to work and collaborate on new projects,” he added. “Our No. 1 goal is to grow skateboarding in Sudbury.”
Ollie North is made up of a nine-member board of directors, they’ve formally registered as a not-for-profit organization and are on the lookout for more members to help diversify their efforts. They’ve created a website, ollienorth.ca, as well as Instagram and Facebook pages (@ollienorthsb).
Curt Carrier was one of several skateboarders to show up for Thursday’s Ollie North launch, where he performed tricks and hung out with like-minded skateboard enthusiasts.
“I looked up to these guys and now I’m part of the crew,” said the 29-year-old, who has been skateboarding since he was 12. “We’re doing good things out here.”
Ollie North will offer skateboarding lessons, and Taus said they plan on donating brand-new skateboards to people of all ages interested in trying out the sport but can’t afford equipment.
Following Thursday’s all-ages launch, the association will host a Skate Night at the Townehouse Tavern on Friday evening to help raise funds for their skateboarding programs.
The show will feature hardcore acts Johnny Bizness, Daggers Wild and hardcore group Rockpyle. Doors open at 8 p.m. and admission is $15.
Information on upcoming skateboard lessons and other Ollie North activities will be posted to their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
