Healthy Saturdays- 11Feb07 report by Robert Stroud The “Healthy Saturdays” term comes from the campaign to close G Gate Park to Saturday car traffic . San Francisco's SK&Godfather David Miles proposed in late 2005 that our newly-forming ‘industry group’ be set up to help others duplicate his successes organizing street closures for recreation (SCfR.) When this “Action Idea” was discussed at our meeting last February, there were no volunteers to lead this committee, so right after the meeting I volunteered. I have zero experience with creating SCfR. I've learned there are many varieties of SCfR. They can involve parks or not, main city thoroughfares or side streets, with a total prohibition of motor vehicles or partial. The time a street is closed can vary from a couple hours to all day; and the frequency of closures can be occasional and therefore unscheduled, or scheduled. Scheduled closures may be once a year (e.g. for a race,) once or twice a month or certain days of the week. In colder climates the SCfR schedules are seasonal. While some SCfR are government initiated (as in Bogota, Columbia), all successful SCfR in North America I found, were initiated by an individual or group, and presented to local government for approval. Typically political alliances are formed in advance of public discussion about SCfR's impact, which always includes safety along with the costs and manpower needed to direct pedestrians and close streets. Reasons for proposing street closures include recreation, general health (anti-obesity,) environmental (anti-smog & global warming) and political (anti-oil addiction.) Each successful SCfR campaign has a unique story. I know from reading skating forums that there are many skaters willing to share their knowledge of successful SCfR campaigns. For sure, local skaters wanting to establish a SCfR could benefit from the experience of others. Long running SCfR in Chicago and SF were successful with the help of large well-organized bicyclist groups with professional staffs and thousands of dues paying members. Most large urban areas are already considering ideas for both full and partial street closures, for both recreation and transportation. Obviously, the more time a street is scheduled closed, the more likely it will be used for “alt”transportation such as walking, biking, or...skating. RECCOMMENDATIONS: ● Establish (perhaps by invitation only) a “SCfR&T Forum” yahoo group where people with Street Closure campaign experience can answer questions from skaters involved in campaigns; ● Establish procedure for our organization's endorsement of Street Closure campaigns; ● Prepare to initiate and manage alliances with Bicyclist, Anti- Obesity, Environmental & Patriotic groups; ● Consider becoming, creating or joining- a Skaters' non-profit mass-membership organization whose purpose would two-fold: to Improve the Safety of INLINE Skating, and to Finance the creation of a comprehensive website for INLINE skaters.* ● Prepare to approach the creator of skatepark.org whose talent and experience I believe would be of enormous value in many ways *Perhaps attach membership form to new skate boxes, offering free 15 minute “safety” clinic from participating USSG member.