the bethlehem skateplaza needs your support TONIGHT.

THE BETHLEHEM SKATEPLAZA NEEDS EVERYONE’S HELP TONIGHT!!!

Please use Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, your blogs, websites and e-mail lists to spread this message to as many people as you can.

At TONIGHT’s City Council meeting, 7pm in the Rotunda Building between City Hall and the Bethlehem Library, a member of council wants to purpose that all the funds that have been allocated to the Bethlehem Skateplaza and other “non-essential” projects go into a savings account for a rainy day.

I’m not saying that saving for a rainy day in this economy isn’t a prudent thing to do BUT:

1) There are NO CITY TAX dollars going to the Bethlehem Skateplaza

2) The grant money that we raised for the Bethlehem Skateplaza was SPECIFICALLY awarded to the City for the Bethlehem Skateplaza and The Greenway due to the grant writing done by the Parks Department.

3) Members of the state came down and were shown the location of the skateplaza, told about the partnership between the community and the City being built through the skateplaza andwere impressed by our design so the state/federal money was award to our project- not a savings account.

4) The rest of the funding for the Bethlehem Skateplaza is being raised through solicited sponsorships and donations by corporate companies, local business and the community- NOT CITY TAX DOLLARS

I strongly believe that in the long run it will benefit the City of Bethlehem by setting the example of what other cities should be doing for their youth by promoting healthy, safe and legal recreational activities. Skateboarding and BMX are both growing cultures- or sports if you must, in the Lehigh Valley and all over the world. This project is not a financial burden on the City so what is the point of shutting it down?

Please come to the meeting to hear more on this topic and show your support for our future Skateplaza.