Skateboarding students who like doing stunts on their boards can expect a speed bump while riding on campus — literally.
Several departments at the University have installed pegs on low parts of walls and structures to prevent skateboarders from stunting and grinding on already damaged areas.
University Facilities Services Exterior Team Supervisor Tim King, who oversaw most of the installations at the academic buildings, said installing the pegs was necessary because skateboard stunting chips away at the fixtures.
“I don’t think people realize the cost or damage involved,” he said.
King said Facilities Services noticed a trend of increased damages to low exterior structures, much of it caused by skateboard stunts. He added that bicycles with pegs on the tire axles can also cause damage and are even more harmful than skateboard stunting.
King said stunting on skateboards and bikes has caused approximately $50,000 in damage in the last several years.
Most of the pegs around campus were installed by Facilities Services at a number of academic buildings, including Fenton Hall, Condon Hall and the Science Library. The EMU has installed its own pegs at the EMU Amphitheater, and contractors installed pegs at the new Lillis Business Complex during construction.
University freshman David Hendrickson resents the University’s decision to install skate pegs.
“It sends a message to us that they don’t want us here,” he said.
Hendrickson is used to the pegs, being a native of San Francisco, where the trend of anti-skateboarding products is prevalent. However, he still believes they aren’t necessary.
“It’s way uglier than if it’s (ground) up. And it’s uncomfortable to sit on,” Hendrickson said. “I wish they wouldn’t put them in.”
King disagrees. Facilities Services placed the pegs two feet apart — plenty of room for people to sit, he said.
Facilities Services has installed approximately 100 pegs during the past 12 months, something they would not have been able to do if they didn’t save so much money by making their own pegs, King said.
Each peg costs about $5 to make and install, while many
anti-skateboarding devices on the market cost about $7, not including the cost to install them.
King added that the peg-making operation has gone so well that Facilities Services was asked to create pegs for Autzen Stadium.
It is difficult to gauge how much the University has saved on repairs by installing the pegs, King said, but officials will monitor trends in money spent on repairs in the future.
King said safety is another positive outcome of installing skate pegs, adding that stunting can be dangerous both for the skateboarder and for bystanders who could be hit.
Department of Public Safety Interim Director Thomas Hicks confirmed the positive impact the pegs are having on campus.
“We do receive a lot of complaints from the campus community (about skateboarding and stunting),” Hicks said.
He added that the pegs, along with increased enforcement, have decreased the amount of stunting at prime locations on campus. Hicks said the Knight Law Center used to have many instances of stunting, but preventative measures have lowered the occurrences.
Students violating skateboarding rules on campus can expect a fine from DPS. Skating in a building or structure carries a $25 fine and acrobatic or stunt skating carries a $30 fine.
King said the goal with all of these preventative measures is to ensure safety and to prevent damage.
“We wish there were more skateboarding parks for them so they didn’t feel the need to do that here,” King said.