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| Don't be a victim of anti-skate propaganda! |
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If you've gone skating along the Willamette Greenway Trail (WGT) south of The Old Spaghetti Factory, you may have read a sign or two that seems to prohibit skating. The truth is skating is perfectly legal and allowed on the full length of this trail. There are two notices in question and I'd like to point them out to put everyone's mind at ease.
This is an obsolete notice you'll find painted on the asphalt
along the WGT. The referenced statute was either changed or found to be
inapplicable. These signs were painted over long ago, but the black paint has
worn off and made them visible again.
The origin of these signs is much less innocent. They are
carefully worded to give the impression that skating here is breaking law,
but the condo association has no authority to make such restrictions. When
read carefully the phrases "For everyone's safety and enjoyment"
and "Your cooperation is appreciated" stand out.
This a carefully crafted piece of propaganda designed to cause unease in your mind and get you to avoid skating on the best route in the downtown Portland area. Fight back! When you skate along this portion of the trail in particular, smile and say hi to everyone you pass by. I give an extra big smile to the older folks along here. Mostly they smile back, but a few have expressions that seem to say "Damn - those expensive signs we bought aren't working."
One more note - avoid skating through the parking lot behind the condos as if your life depends on it. It may. During the flood a few years ago, Kim. Penny, some other skaters and I were going to avoid the washed out portion of the trail and started through the spot which now has a heavy steel chain across it. A somewhat older guy jumped out (the head of the condo/homeowners association, I'm told) and started yelling that it was private property and if we skated any farther he'd go into his garage, get his shotgun and stop us with it. He looked just nuts enough to do it, too...
Bryn
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| Skate Routes |
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