Reporter: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRpnZfsj2iN/?igsh=MWw1NDVscWFqaHg2MA==
by Yerandi Santana
Young people denounce attempt to evict them from their only sports area in El Mirador
Santo Domingo.– A group of young people who practice skateboarding in Mirador Sur park denounced this weekend an alleged attempt to remove the only available track for their sport, in order to build a new playground in its place.
As they explain, this track located in the middle of the park, near the lake, constitutes the only space dedicated to skateboarding in the entire region. They point out that Mirador Sur already has multiple recreational areas for children, and they consider it unfair to eliminate the only corner where they can develop a sports discipline that has grown significantly among young people.
During a spontaneous meeting at the location, they announced that they will call for a peaceful demonstration to make the situation visible and ask the competent authorities to reconsider the measure and seek alternatives that do not sacrifice their right to sport.
Among the complainants was Misael de los Santos, who expressed his frustration at the closure of the area where the track is located. According to his explanation, when a mesh is placed and a work is paralyzed, the skate community usually assumes that an intervention will begin that will prevent them from riding and developing in their practice. De los Santos highlighted that even people linked to the sport who work in institutions of the National District claim to be unaware of what is happening on the site, which in his opinion shows a lack of clarity in the process.
De los Santos called on the community of skaters, cyclists, calisthenics practitioners, and frequent users of the park to join in demanding transparency regarding the interventions within Mirador Sur. He pointed out that, in his opinion, the park has received insufficient and poorly functional renovations, and that the new constructions do not meet the necessary standards for disciplines that are now part of international and high-level sports competitions.
He affirmed that skateboarding, BMX, and other modalities require facilities designed with professional technical criteria, and that there are proposals from local engineers and specialists that have been ignored. He also recalled that Mirador Sur is approaching 55 years of existence without having received a comprehensive repair in decades, and that much of the maintenance has fallen on the community itself.
The young man also maintained that the situation worries athletes, instructors, and families who recognize the importance of skateboarding as a tool for physical, artistic, and educational development for children and adolescents, as it fosters skills such as English proficiency, photography, design, audiovisual recording, and other creative skills.
De los Santos asked the citizenry to mobilize peacefully to ensure that the track is not eliminated and that, if a new infrastructure is built, it meets international standards that allow professional practice and the projection of the sport. He stressed that the demand does not respond to political interests, but to a social need that affects young people, adults and seniors who use the Mirador Sur daily.
“This is not for me, it’s for the people. What we ask for is a work that functions, that is a legacy for future generations,” he expressed.
Most Read
