In Lethbridge, the local skate scene creates a space where people come together for a shared passion, connect with others and feel like they belong. It provides a community. It provides a place to challenge yourself without the pressures or time demands of a traditional sport. It allows you to grow at your own pace and learn from others around you. 

At a skatepark, age, gender and experience all fade into the background, nothing matters more than a willingness to learn. Seasoned skaters help beginners, friendships form between people who may have never otherwise met, and every small achievement is celebrated as a milestone. 

For 23-year-old sponsored skater Brodie Forsyth, the skate community has led him to turn his passion into a greater purpose.

“Being a part of the skate scene has helped me build confidence in being authentic, in being myself. When I was a kid, I dreamed of being a sponsored skater. Now that I’m here, now that I’ve made it, life has taken on a deeper meaning for me,” Forsyth shares. 

Ian Gauthier, owner of local skate shop Boarderline, wants to maintain a safe and fun environment for people of all ages across the city, especially the children. 

“As a father, there’s nothing I wouldn’t want for my girls. Knowing I’m doing everything I can to create a space for not only my own kids, but for youth all across the city…it means everything to me,” says Gauthier. “Maintaining a space for kids to come together and be themselves, grow, and have fun, that’s what the scene is all about.” 

Building this kind of community takes more than just good intentions. Skateparks need maintenance, community events need funding and opportunities for skaters to come together must continue to be organized. Without ongoing support, bringing the community together can become harder to sustain. 

This need is how Skate of the Art, an annual fundraising event to support the scene, was born. SOTA is a hand-in-hand collaboration between local artists and the skate community. Local artists spend months designing one-of-a-kind decks to auction off at this event. One hundred per cent of money raised through Skate of the Art goes directly to keeping Lethbridge’s skate scene alive through events, classes and caring for the parks. 

Supporting the scene means recognizing the value it brings to young people, and the wider community. It means ensuring that skateparks remain a welcoming place to learn. It means providing events to continue to bring people together. It means providing every person in the community with positive spaces as they grow. 

The impact of skateboarding can not simply be measured by tricks landed or hours spent at the park. Its value lies in the friendships built, personal growth, and the purpose it brings. 

Through the dedication of people like Forsyth, Gauthier and with community support, Lethbridge’s skate scene can continue to offer something that lasts long after they leave the park: a place where they belong. 

This year’s Skate of the Art event will be held at the Galt Museum on Nov. 6. Tickets are on sale now, available to purchase in-store at Boarderline Skate Shop.