RULES

The Morning Call has an article on the recent Borough Council decision to close the skate park for the day if the rules are being violated.


Since the skate park opened there have been complaints about garbage on the ground, excessive and loud foul language, underage smoking, and the use of bikes on the skate equipment. I’m not sure what part of the rules are considered excessive and I can’t speak the extent to which the rules are actually being violated as I don’t visit the skate park. So much of this to me is very much a case of he said, she said.


The skate park is free and there is no specific manager of the skate park as the park manager is primarily responsible for the pool, which does charge admission.


The skate park was selected over other potential public recreation areas. The argument at the time was the providing a skate park would lessen the problems around town with skateboarders using private property to skate. Property owners complained that skaters could damage their property, had no right to be on their private property, and feared legal action if they hurt themselves while on their property.


Now, some council members feel that having provided this park, the skaters should be respectful of the rules governing the use of it. Following repeated attempts to have them clean up after themselves, exercise some better judgment in their use of language, not smoke under the age of 18, and to limit the use of the park to skateboards the Council has decided that the police can close the park if they see a violation. The intent is to have the skaters self-govern.


From the article:


"The rules of the skate park are a joke," said councilman Jack Herbst, who helped build the park in 2007 and cast the sole dissenting vote. "Because of a few kids, you're going to shut it down for the day? You're just going to keep closing the park, closing the park, closing the park."


And also:


For now, the skaters are safe: The zero-tolerance policy won't go into effect until the borough posts a sign listing the rule, which will take a few weeks. But Herbst's wife, Karen, said her son's friends have already begun making protest plans through Facebook.


If the borough is looking to cut down on trouble, she said, well…


"They're going to have what they don't want," she said. "They're going to have riots."



It does appear there is a need for management. Maybe the skate park ought to operate along the lines of the pool – charge admission and use the money to pay for a manager. The manager can then throw people out as needed and keep it a safe, clean environment.


As far as smoking, I’d ban it from the entire park.


What do you think?

Posted via email from Ross Nunamaker