I think the ban was a bit of a council vendetta against "young punks." If you were really out to ban a destructive, dangerous practices in the Canal Park area you would also ban bicycles, G. B. Leighton, driving, tourists and alcohol consumption. I would be surprised if you could prove skateboarding caused more damage or "incidents" than any one of the other items in my list. Penalize the offenders, not the masses.

I'd sign the petition for a ban on G. B. Leighton in Canal Park. Can we also ban the wearing of capris by tourist ladies?

I just think anyone who's against gay marriage is close-minded and afraid of taking a risk. Skateboarding is all about taking risks. Maybe I'm stereotyping. Let's find Mr. Tim and ask him. I'll bet I'm right, though...

Do you even own a skateboard Adam?

Can we all just agree to ban gay skateboarders in Canal Park? Or even just gay skateboards?

Adam not gay? Damn! Now I'm hot for him.

Wildgoose supports repeal of the ban. That comment gave me whiplash.

I ♥ skateboarders. For some, it's their means of transportation. For others, a means of sport and creativity.

It's fun to watch them. Whether they're just gliding-seemingly-effortlessly down some road (19th), or doing tricks in Canal Park, the lower Library area, or anywhere. (Most places they actually do their tricks are dead zones, as I've noticed, or as Wildgoose said, a means of entertainment actually enhancing their location.) It's not like they wander around in packs or gangs intimidating residents and tourists (like some mentioned below).

My kids and their friends board, and I know some pro-guys nearly my age who board and have their own line of gear. I wish I had the guts/ability to board (my knees cringe), as it looks so fun, and especially now that the Chitty of Dull-uth has finally fixed my craters-of-the-moon-death-zone into a very smooooove street.  

Street surfing. Tricksters. Whatever. Bring it.

I grew up in Minneapolis, and when they laid new bitumen it was only fresh-n-smooth for about a day -- if that, then they'd come round and spray down a coating of smelly tar and then nasty gravel over the top. Smooth streets were rare -- so we didn't board. You'd die, or become hamburger trying.

Go the skaters!

There's totally no comparison to the annoying-as-fuck crappy rental-bike thingys that the no-clue-how-to-drive/navigate idiots ride on the Lakewalk, or the annoying loud-mouth-out-of-town-newly-moved-here-from-another-state-to-reap-the-MN bennies-no jobs-lamers hangin 'round the Library/Holiday/Transit Centers/Upper Lakewalk concourse-wandering-all-over-downtown-jaywalking-in-the-way-all-day-every-day sorts hands down. Ban them I say!

*Shakes fist*eyedarts*shakes fist*

+1 Skaters!

If we allow gay marriage, whats next?  Skaters wanting to marry their boards?

I used to skate all the time even still, in my older years, try to roll around at least a couple times a year. Among many other things, skateboarding is all about balance and going with as apposed to against. In my experience lawsuits are one of the main concerns among business owners especially. It is a unwritten law among all skaters that if you fall and hurt yourself anywhere, anytime, you do not sue.  This is serious code to all that call themselves skaters.  It would make me happy if this could finally become to public knowledge.

Getting money means changing opinions, which is easier said than done.

Furthermore, the council should vote to surcharge patrons of Canal as they play witness to spectacular feats as rarely seen in their daily grind, before they erupt into applause and wander off to go find a coney.

Re: GB Leighton and capris: Sing it, sister! Could not agree more. 

As for skateboarders, they are way more agile and safe than those behemoth double-wide bikes. But they spend less $$ so we know how this will play out. Oh well, if skateboarders were welcomed they'd be less cool.

Why do skateboarders want to skate in Canal Park? I don't even like walking by that many people.

David, I agree, sort of. I think the intense desire is not to go where they are not allowed, but mainly to be seen. And the best place to be seen, is where there are the most people. That is why I don't think that building a great skate park is the solution to the Canal Park issue. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a great skate park, and I know many kids (and some adults) would go there, but not all kids will, and kids will still go to Canal Park. Street riding is as much a part of the skating allure as riding in a skate park.

"I saw a skateboarder weaving down 19th Ave yesterday, leading a parade of cars. It was cool."

REALLY?!? Okay, then, I'm gonna just go wandering on foot in the left lane of I-35 and see how everyone stops for me and see how cool that is. 

I have traveled all over the world and NOWHERE else is it acceptable for people to randomly walk or board in busy traffic. Anywhere else in the world, you will get hit by a car and severly injured. Period. But yet in Duluth I have had to slam on my brakes for people randomly walking/boarding into traffic countless times. This is completely assinine that we are expected to stop and make way for these morons. I say, keep it up, but why don't you please try it somewhere else other than Duluth and then tell me how "cool" it is then?

I nearly got taken out by a double-decker bus in Kowloon because I was looking left right left instead of right left right.

Silly American.

Thrice ... 1990, '91 and '93. And yeah ... their tech vs. our tech in the early 90s? So much better.

@Beverly: Are these statements based on assumptions or personal experience? I've seen zero insurance claims brought to business owners. Both in instances of skaters with and without insurance.  The skaters without insurance paid out of pocket.

@@andy: Yeah, you're right. Although kids are still on their parents' policies, I suppose.

@ElPete: You're right that you have more factual experience to speak of. My comments are not based on much, really. My parents were sued by someone who got hurt on their property. Their backyard is a large hill, and a kid unknown to them and uninvited went across the hill on a sled, crashed and knocked out a tooth. My parents had very little to do with the lawsuit; it was between the insurance companies. It's probable the other family pursued the lawsuit, however.

Maybe my first comment was wrong, but I don't think so. It's my general belief that insurance companies will work very hard not to pay money, and they'll go looking for it where they can.