Nationally renowned city planner
spoke up for skateboaders.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051015/ap_on_re_us/obit_bacon

By JOANN LOVIGLIO, Associated Press Writer

October 14, 2005

PHILADELPHIA - Edmund N. Bacon, a renowned city planner whose vision transformed postwar Philadelphia and whose influence continued to shape the look and feel of the nation's fifth-largest city, died Friday. He was 95.

.....

Bacon's work landed him the cover of a 1964 issue of Time magazine, which called Philadelphia's redevelopment "the most thoroughly rounded, skillfully coordinated of all big city programs in the U.S." His 1967 book "Design of Cities" remains one of the key texts for architecture students.

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At 90, he lashed out at city leaders for banning skateboarders at a park adjacent to City Hall, saying, "Show me a skateboarder who killed a little old lady and I'll reconsider."

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2002-10-31/pretzel.shtml

The man who planned LOVE Park gets on board to protest the skater ban.

Edmund Bacon, 92, gets on a skateboard!  See his picture, and the complete article here.

In 2002, the city of  Philadelphia was not as fortunate as Portland.  That is, from the standpoint of either skateboarders, or general good will.  Skateboarding was illegal in Philly then. 

Does anyone know if the ban on skateboarding in the City of Love has been lifted? Please write me, or please sign my guestbook with any info.

Marian Drake

October 21, 2007