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Warren seeks skate-park locale
TweetThe mayor said Warren will have the advantage of learning from other communities’ mistakes.
WARREN — Mayor Michael O’Brien is looking for a third and fourth possible location for a skateboard park for the city now that a site in Perkins Park has been rejected.
O’Brien said he learned Monday that a site just south of city hall and a short distance north of the Warren Amphitheater and the new VIP Inclusive Playground has been rejected because groundwater has been detected a short distance below the surface.
That means the location would not be suitable because of the amount of weight that the site would have to hold for concrete and skate-park equipment, he said.
The site formerly contained exercise equipment.
O’Brien said he has a couple of other locations in mind and will be checking into those during the course of this week.
The park was originally intended for vacant land on Mahoning Avenue near Packard Park that formerly housed Turner Middle School, but people living near the site complained to a city council committee, and O’Brien went looking for another site.
The park will be placed on a concrete slab 40 feet by 80 feet. It will contain quarter pipes, a grind rail and a miniramp. These are pieces of equipment on which to ride a skateboard. Around it would be an 8-foot-wide oval track for roller or inline skaters and a fence to keep people out when the park closes.
The city obtained a $75,000 federal grant in 2004 to pay for it.
O’Brien said the park will move skateboarders away from the World War II Monument near Courthouse Square, the downtown sidewalks, the steps in front of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Demetrious Hellenic Orthodox Church, and the Amphitheater — places where they are not allowed to skateboard.
Both the former police chief and the acting police chief have recommended that the skate park be located in an open area where police officers could monitor the activities of the skateboarders.
They warned that putting the park in a remote location, away from observation would lead to vandalism and other problems.
A three-year-old skate park in Struthers was closed Aug. 9 because of profanity and other problems experienced by neighbors living nearby. Officials have asked the Mill Creek MetroParks board to consider allowing the city to move the park to Yellow Creek Park.
O’Brien said he realizes there’s potential for problems when Warren opens its skateboard park, but one of the advantages of being “one of the last” communities to open one is that Warren will learn from other communities’ mistakes.
runyan@vindy.com
Comments
All,
As a 23 year veteran of Skatepark design and construction as well as a 30 year skater, I applaud Warren and Mr. O'Briens continued push for a Skatepark. It is needed and justified as an outlet for the energies and talents of an ever-growing and dedicated group of athletes.
I must, however, disagree with a good deal of the information contained in the article.
First, the previous site with high ground water is probably very buildable with the proper design and use of materials. Who Skates builds Skateparks which sit atop a carefully prepared bed of GeoFoam, an incredibly lightweight but strong material used in massive roadways, bridges and buildings where weight is a problem. I encourage you to revisit this construction technique before abandoning a good location.
Second, it is very likely that the vandalism in Struthers was caused by non-skaters who were simply taking out frustration on the 'weird kids'. These vandals were presented with a clean slate on which to practice their craft for one simple reason... there were no skaters or parents there to defend the park.
As the article above states "O’Brien said the park will move skateboarders away from the World War II Monument near Courthouse Square, the downtown sidewalks, the steps in front of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Demetrious Hellenic Orthodox Church, and the Amphitheater — places where they are not allowed to skateboard". The one common thread in all of the locations where the kids are now skating is that they are all natural, legitimate street skating obstacles, all made of concrete, granite and marble yet the solution is to offer the skaters a flat area of pavement and buy some prefabricated steel ramps. Doesn't anyone see that these ramps and rails DO NOT replace the areas where the kids are skating now? This is surely the problem in Struthers. Had a Skatepark been built by a professional company offering challenges similar to those found in the downtown areas the park would be bustling and full of parents, kids young and old and the opportunity for vandalism would be nonexistent. Instead the kids don't skate there so it's open season for hooligans to ruin it.
IN short, build a Skatepark which offers the challenges and rewards that they crave downtown. Do not purchase a prefabricated steel park that will be louder and more problematic than Struthers. Build a top-qulaity concrete Skate Plaza which can be implemented for under $15 per square foot and let the kids have years and years of enjoyment from it. Prefab ramps are a temporary fix at best, skating is not a temporary sport.
Thank you for your time,
Tom Noble
Who Skates since 1987
Tom: Well said. The idea that skate parks lead to crime is the most ridiculous statement you can make. Warren has had the grant money since 2004 and is just now talking about building it? What has happened the past 5 years? Build the skate park on the old Turner property and be done with it. It is out in the open and the police can access it easily as well as monitor the park easily.
The people who complain have NO IDEA what they are talking about!!! Show me the statistics and data that a skate park draws crime. The kids want to skate and that's it.
Tom, please email the Editor with the Tribune Chronicle as well. Maybe he will publish your letter. We need more facts and less of people complaining about things of which they don't know what they are talking about.
BUILD THE SKATE PARK ALREADY. 5 YEARS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF TIME TO WORK OUT ALL ISSUES!!!
You should be able to build it in any city parking lot, as we have witnessed lately.... few city employees are actually at work ...while they're at work! Great idea as long as it does not end up being another "Profanity Park" like they have in Struthers!