Car-jammed lots not an issue for skateboarders around campus

While parking issues on campus can make getting to class a challenge, some students have chosen skateboarding as the answer to a problem almost all can relate to.

When Ben McHenry, a freshman occupational therapy major from West Monroe, saw the growing number of students skateboarding on campus, he made the decision to pick up his board and join their ranks.

“I hadn’t skated in a while, but I noticed others on campus skating and thought it would be a creative and effective way to get to and from class,” McHenry said. “It is a quicker method of transportation.”

Students are not the only ones at ULM who are promoting the skateboarding trend.

Mike Trevathan, ULM’s executive director of auxillary enterprises, thinks the growing popularity is a good thing for the university.

“I think attitudes are changing. It used to be frowned upon,” said Trevathan, who is also a skateboarder, said. “Boarders tend to be a lot more careful than pedestrians when they’re walking out into traffic.”

Both McHenry and Trevathan listed exercise, a better frame of mind and lack of pollution as benefits for skateboarding around campus as opposed to driving a car.

McHenry said so far he has found no problems with his skateboarding being accepted by fellow students.

“People seem to respond well when they see me skating passed,” he said.

McHenry was also happy with the efforts ULM has been putting in to repair the sidewalks around campus.

When asked if there had been any complaints about skateboarders from pedestrians, Trevathan said he hadn’t heard of any.

“I think the skateboarders are very aware of not shooting a board into somebody’s ankles,” Travathan said.