The Cayman Islands Skateboard Association (“CISA”) is a non-profit organisation, located at the Black Pearl Skate Park in Grand Harbour, that works with youth after-school programs and events from public as well as private schools. The Mission of CISA is “to maintain a world class skate park in the Cayman Islands; to keep the park a healthy, safe environment, free of graffiti and litter while fostering self-confidence, good health, strength and pride with the youth of our islands.”
In May 2013, the Association, assumed the operation of the Black Pearl Skate Park. Its Chairperson, Mr. Michael Myles, lead this revitalization which has catered to approximately 1,400 visitors annually, 90% of them students from the Cayman Islands. The other 10% are visitors from overseas. To ensure that the park is fully utilized, the association welcomed students from the Extended After School Programme which manages eight (8) programmes in the public schools. The park further caters to students who attend five (5) private schools. Students who visit the skate park typically range in age from 4 to 12 years old, although students up to 18 years of age are welcome to use the skate park during normal opening hours from 3pm until sundown, Monday-Sunday, as long as they obey the park rules.

Well-known in the Cayman Islands as a person devoted to counselling and helping our youth, in particular At-Risk Youth, the iconic Mr. Myles states that his vision for the skate park is for it to “become a multi-purpose Community Centre focused mainly on families and to provide a venue for family activities to occur and continue in a safe and fun-filled way.” One recent significant achievement, i.e. obtaining lights for the skate park, now allows the park to remain open for use a few hours longer each day past sundown, which in turn will boost the enjoyment of families that use the park.

Another significant milestone for CISA was the donation by EnjoyCayman.ky of eighteen (18) scooters and two (2) skateboards for use by the students of the After-School programs. With the increasing number of students in the After-School programs flocking to the skate park, the demand to use a skate board or scooter quickly exceeded CISA’s supply. Now, with the donation of these twenty new scooters and skate boards, there will be less waiting around and more playtime for each student. “What Mr. Michael Myles is doing with the skate park is fantastic and is of great benefit to our young people, keeping them active in a positive way, we need more positive distractions like this for our youth these days. EnjoyCayman.ky is proud to partner with him and CISA in developing positive youth activities and bringing more smiles to the faces of our young children” says Mr. Troy Jacob, Owner of EnjoyCayman.ky.

For more information on the Cayman Islands Skateboard Association, please visit their Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/CaymanIslandsSkateboardAssociation).

EnjoyCayman.ky is a fully Caymanian-owned and operated Video and DVD production company specializing in developing videos and DVD products for all of Cayman’s tourism-related businesses. Their flagship DVD entitled “An Introduction to the Cayman Islands” was developed as a video promotion souvenir and travel guide for our visitors, and contains over forty (40) minutes of facts and fun-filled activities to enjoy in the Cayman Islands. For more information on EnjoyCayman.ky’s products or services, please email [email protected] , or visit their Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Enjoycayman) and their website at www.enjoycayman.ky

Photo: Messrs. Michael Myles (left) and Troy Jacob standing behind some of the After School Program students who regularly enjoy the Black Pearl Skate Park located at Grand Harbour Plaza in Grand Cayman