Well, here I am back from doing some photo shooting at the skate park. Here's
some field notes, since they must be written anyway, and with them a bit of
appropriation of the coversation space. Conflict, and more generally how
people interact with each other, carrying the developmental baggage of
experience from other systems, is the sense of the notes, not peripheral to the
ongoing xmca discussion.
Today at 3pm is the grand opening of the park. Last night, many of us brought
shovels and rakes and other implements down to the park to do some finishing
and landscaping. I also took some photos in the process, not all of folks in
action as is my preference, but since these will be seen by the community, some
contrived shots. You'll be able to see the difference.
http://people.ne.mediaone.net/barowy/sp/8.2/index.htm
Several people worked rather late and more were there early this morning. After
getting a bunch of other tasks done this morning, I found an hour to drop in
and take some more photos. There were (still are) many parents, and a variety
of male skateboarders from about 5 yrs old to those in their 20's. There were
no female skaters.
I tend to watch for a bit before going into action when in a setting, and when
shooting photos of skaters, this is so that I can see patterns in the actions
and interactions of the skaters. It's nice to compose a quality photo, and with
the moving target of a skater, getting a sense of the routine they do (many
skaters I have observed have characteristic sets of routines) helps to compose
the photo -- where to stand and when to press the shutter.
In the process I peripherally noticed a discussion going on that appeared to be
conflictual, involving stephanie, and (dee) and others. It dissapated while I
was taking photos however. When it seemed to appear again, I wandered over to
the discussion, which had appeared in a new place. Molly, Dee, Steph, and a
city official who oversees the skatepark guards were involved. (the skatepark
guards are employed under the mayors youth commission. The discussion was
precipitated by Dee's ejection of an older skater who refused to follow the
rules and wear pads, and who gave Dee some "attitude".
(See http://www.newburyportskatepark.com/ for the rules and management plan)
The safety rules are also posted on the fence in red just outside the entry
gate -- the remainder of the management information is in black.
Steph and Geth, who are in partnership the founders of Airspeed Skateparks LLC,
are at this moment preparing to boycott the opening ceremony because of a
disagreement about the rules of operation. They had understood that skaters
over 18 would be required only to wear a helmet and are upset about the present
rules. Steph explains that she receives many emails froms skaters about the
reasons why they skate, and it having to do with freedom. She feels bound to
the skater community and that while she agrees that skaters younger than 18
(voting age) should wear the full complement of pads, those who are older
should be allowed to make their own decisions. She is concerned about the
backlash of older skaters who will show up for the opening ceremonies, many of
whom know her and geth. She concurs that minimum requirements of a helmet are
reasonable to impose of the older skaters. She used several times the phrase
"where I'm coming from..."
The city official explains that the rules are posted, and that he, reporting to
the mayor, must enforce what is posted. If people can get the rules changed
before 3 pm, then he will simply enforce what is there. Molly assured everyone
that David, who has headed up the skatepark initiative, will be involved and
that perhaps they can work something out before 3 pm. Dee pleaded with Steph
that they all had been through many things in getting the skatepark in place,
and to be patient with the community. Steph replied that she knows, because
she was at all the meetings and they were 'gnarly'. Dee said "I know". Steph
said it is nothing personal but that she and Geth would not attend the opening
if things do not change. There is a photo of dee, steph, and the official.
During this whole time Geth was skating in the advanced bowl --- from earlier
on I have several photos of him doing stunts suchs as ollies over the hip.
There was a great stunt that he did in front of me, but since it was the first
time I saw it, I did not compose the photo right, and his posterior fills the
frame. He was too tired to try again.
The conversation continued in varied forms, with different combinations of
actors being involved -- at one time, Dee pulled me aside to ask my opinion.
Before I left the official came to Dee and I and said that there were several
skaters without full pads and asked what should be done, given the situation
was such that the rules could change. It was not clear that there was a
decision on the matter.
-----------
What i find of interest in this exchange is that at the scale of (colective)
activity system, one can see this as a disruption emerging from conflicting
sociocognitive structures (shorthand - I heed Giddens warnings about
'structures'), i.e. rules of three systems -- the city, the skatepark
association (fnsp) and the skateboard community. What remains to be done is to
unpack what is happening, whether resolution occurs, and to coordinate with
theory of the 'interactions' among and between systems.
bb
=====
"One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly become the author of something beautiful."
[Norman Maclean in "A river runs through it."]
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Oct 01 2001 - 01:01:56 PDT