I read this article in Saturday’s paper and since I know some of the kids that skateboarded at those tennis courts, I thought there were a few things that should have been mentioned.

First off, the reporter didn’t say that the tennis courts are basically abandoned, rundown and haven’t been used in years. The lead says it “may have been seen as a place to hang out for youth.” Kids were skateboarding there on homemade skateboard obstacles after they became bored with the skatepark. It wasn’t a “hang out.” He should have found out by talking to some of the “youth” involved, which he could have easily done by going to the skatepark. There are no quotes from any of them.

Bruce Worley’s quote gives the article an almost biased tone without any information from the kids involved. Though the courts are Oak Harbor School District property, the kids did clean it up to a certain extent to make room for their homemade ramps and rails, and I think it was great that they were doing something for themselves in their small, sleepy town.

Terrill Simecki

Oak Harbor