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MN 2020 Candidate Questionnaire
Eric Pratt R District 55
Q1
Describe your personal experience with skateboarding. Are you a skateboarder? Have you ever been a skateboarder? Do you personally know any skateboarders? What is your general perception of the activity?
My son was a boarder as a kid and continues to long board as a Univ. of Michigan graduate student. Overall skateboarding is an activity that takes agility, coordination and persistence to be good at it. I remember my son working on tricks at the skate park for hours
Q2
Skateboarding has always had an appeal to youth and kids, but after many decades, skateboarding is now a multigenerational activity (ages 3-60+ years). Minnesota needs more opportunities for our citizens to be outside, active and creative in community social spaces. Do the communities you would represent have quality, accessible and visible skateboard spaces?
Yes
Q3
Minnesota hosted the world’s largest skateboard competition, X Games in 2017, 2018 and 2019. During the three X Games Minneapolis events, women and men competed in skateboarding contests that will also be added to the Olympics for Tokyo 2021. Skateboarding has become a worldwide equity activity that has little barrier to participation other than safe places to roll. Do you see a connection between skateboarding and social, racial, gender and economic equity? If so, please share a few thoughts.
Yes and no. Skateboarding is an activity that is relatively inexpensive and easy to do, and can be an individual or or a group activity. As a former college athlete, I know success at any endeavor takes dedication and persistence, which is independent of race, gender or socioeconomic status.
Q4
Quality concrete skateparks are an efficient use and value of tax payer resources due to their constant use and minimal maintenance. Here is St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis speaking to public skateparks community value. Other community amenities like ballfields, pools, ice rinks, trails and courts need large dedicated spaces, costly programming, and are often expensive to maintain financially and environmentally. Beyond team sports, our community members need activities that challenge them mentally and physically. How will you support youth and community health with new ideas and infrastructure?
As a school board member, I supported the development of skate parks as park of the parks & rec budget.
Q5
Skateboarding is an individual challenging activity that can be done alone, but flourishes at community public skateparks that also can work within our COVID-19 era of social distancing. The University of Southern California just completed a study of skateboarding with these findings, “What we learned from skateboarding youth was profound. Study data illustrate how skateboarding bolsters mental health and facilitates community. Skaters of color explained feeling safer and more supported in the skate community. Skaters clearly articulated skills they learned through skating, such as persistence (skaters will practice a trick hundreds of times until they land it), problem solving, intergenerational and cross-cultural communication.” Our Minnesota communities need new ideas and resources to help serve our youth. Will you support the MN State Skate Park Matching Grant Program HF2490/SF1490?
Undecided