| 9/11/2008 12:33:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Skate park still a possibility for Rockford
Kathy Berlin
Reporter
One of Rockford City Council's goals this year is to determine whether building a skate park is a feasible option, and it is hearing feedback on both sides of the issue.
"For every person who wants a skate park there is at least another one out there who doesn't," said City Manager Michael Young.
The 2007 Community Perception Survey respondents listed a skate park as one of the top three changes to the park system, along with additional playground equipment and more benches, grills and picnic tables.
In mid-summer Young and Rockford Public Schools Superintendent Michael Shibler met with a group of students who support the idea.
"They made proposals that were very good," said Young. "They had some good ideas and I want to keep in contact with them." Young said a partnership with Cannon Township or the schools is possible. On the other hand, finding a location is proving to be difficult.
"Nobody wants one in their backyard," said Young. "We own property at the corner of Courtland and Kies. After a story appeared in the press about a possible skate park there, the residents got a hold of me and said 'don't you dare' put one in there."
"We just adopted our parks plan," said Young. "We have some issues to consider with a skate park, a lot of which go hand-in-hand. What type of liability do we have? How would that affect the cost for the city and insurance?
"We'll get some idea of the liability within the next month and once we understand that we'll start looking at locations."
If it is going to be on city property Rockford's city council would have to approve it. Young also said monitoring the activity is an issue.
"The skaters have to be involved in taking care of it," he said, noting when he first took over in 1995 there was a skateboard park at North Rockford Middle School.
"There were problems with it from the first day it opened and six or eight months later it was closed down," said Young. "Trees were ripped down, benches were put on fire and we had drinking and fights. It was a total disaster.
"Now, just because kids 13 or 14 years ago wrecked something doesn't mean they're going to do the same thing now. (But) we have an enormous amount of problems with some skateboarders having a total lack of respect for the police, the city and the public. It's hard to balance."
He's not ruling out a skate park, though.
"The willingness to look at a skate park today is greater than it was 10 years ago," he said. He also said a board member of Wolverine World Wide Family YMCA recently pointed out that the facility has an area for skateboarding that is open to the public.
When contacted, a staff member at the YMCA said an area in the family gym is used for skateboarding or rollerblading on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. Helmets are required. Entry is $5 for members or $8 for non-members.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, September 18, 2008
Article comment by:
Tamara Bergstrom
City Manager Michael Young uses an unfortunate choice of words when he says "some skateboarders have a total lack of respect..." This just further perpetuates the negative stereotype that exists about skateboarders. In actuality, it is some young people who have a total lack of respect - the fact that some of them skateboard is irrelevant.
This negative stereotype is why we don't have a skatepark after all these years. It's time to recognize that if a juvenile does something he/she isn't supposed to, he/she should be punished - not the entire skateboarding community.
We don't make all adults responsible for the actions of a few. Let's stop making all kids responsible for the actions of a few.
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