Etnies launches petition to get BMX peg ban by Lake Forest Council overturned
Etnies Footwear, manufacturer and retailer of action sports footwear and apparel, have initiated a campaign against the banning of pegs on BMX bikes at etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest, California. The campaign aims to convince the Lake Forest City Council
to reverse the decision taken by them on 15th March.
In order to communicate the opposition to the ban by the stakeholders to the Lake Forest City, etnies has launched a comment-based petition online. A request has been made to the affected parties to record their protest by signing the petition and raising
a voice against the ban. The petition, bearing signatures of the protesters, will be eventually shown to the Council in an effort to get the ban overturned.
The ban on pegs was not the only unwelcomed decision taken by the Council on the 15th of last month. They also limited the number of skateboarders and BMX riders in the park at one time. Coordinator of etnies Skatepark, Nick Gates, justified the
ban by stating that the decision has been taken for the safety of little kids and to make the park more family-friendly. He further stated that the park has suffered a substantial amount of damage at the hands of BMX bikes since its opening in 2003.
The ban on pegs and limit on number of skateboarders and BMXers in the park got approved after getting a 3-0 vote in its favour by the Council.
Even though the Skatepark under radar bears the “etnies” name and was built with the help of funds contributed by the footwear and apparel brand, etnies still does not have an authority to exercise control over the daily operations of the park. The Lake
Forest City is responsible for the safety of the park and public. Hence, if they feel that a ban on pegs is necessary for the preservation of the park and to uphold public interest, then they can very well impose it.
After hearing the news of Councils’ decision to impose a ban on pegs in their public park, etnies Footwear expressed shock and disappointment, claiming that they were completely in the dark regarding the ban decision until it was taken. The brand further
asserted its’ commitment to BMX by releasing a statement that said, “etnies has supported BMX since 1995. We understand the impact this decision has on the BMX community and etnies senior management will work with the City of Lake Forest toward solving this
issue.”
The comment-petition launched by the brand currently has around 1123 signatories, with the number constantly increasing. Etnies BMX pro Nathan William, a few members of the BMX media and a handful of Lake Forest City local riders have already left their
signatures on the petition. It is yet to be seen whether this effort by etnies bears any fruit or simply turns out to be futile.
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