Town faces decision about the Skate Park
Published on July 11th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA- Neighbors have been complaining about noise, and boarders have been complaining about the condition of the Stoneham Skate Park on Capen Street.
The town must balance the desires of everyone in the community and do so within a tight budget.
DPW Director Robert Grover estimates that repairs to the park would cost $5,000.
“The screws are backing out of the equipment, and the riding surfaces need to be replaced,” Grover said. “Use and weather wear wooden equipment down.”
The town has not set aside much money for the park since its opening. Acting Town Administrator Ron Florino has heard the complaints. He said that the town is considering replacing wooden ramps with concrete to reduce noise and maintenance costs. But he said that the Skate Park is a low priority in a tight budget.
“I don’t think I’ll recommend any money for it in October,” Florino said.
An area resident said that kids have been climbing the fence when the park is closed. But adults can’t always be there to open the park. Parents Frank Scarpa of Avon Road and Patricia Johnson of Lexington Street do what they can, but they are volunteers with many other responsibilities.
About 10 kids were skating at 6 p.m. on Monday. Jesse Delano, 15, hopped off his board to be the unofficial spokesman.
“The surfaces are worn, a rail fell off over there,” Delano said. “I think parents would want to pay for repairs and keep the park going. They know where we are... We’re not going to get in trouble for skating here.”
An anonymous guerrilla warrior from the background yelled, “Tell ‘em we’ll skate at Town Hall everyday until someone breaks his neck if they don’t keep this place up,” his words amplifying and fading as he Dopplered by.
Although the kid is joking, the park is safer than the Town Hall steps, especially for the unsuspecting citizen going to pay a water bill. And skateboarding is an artistic, athletic pursuit. It’s good clean fun, like baseball or riding a bike.
These kids aren’t punks. Delano complained about graffiti at the park. He and his buddies come down and pick up trash. Even the still-gliding guerrilla added that if the ramps were replaced with concrete, poured concrete would be safer and more durable than prefabricated structures.
Scarpa has been the patriarch of the park. He convinced the town to build it, and he watches over the kids.
“The Skate Park is a positive place for the kids,” Scarpa said. “The only problem is bikers (kids on bicycles) coming in there... the equipment is not made for that, but it’s hard for a 10-year-old to kick out a teenager.”
Scarpa said that more parents must become involved to keep the Skate Park open as a safe option for Stoneham kids.
“Unless there’s a coalition of parents, it’s not going to grow right,” Scarpa said. “I’m good at supervising the kids, but I’m not the one to organize parents.”
Youth Commission Director Christine DelRossi said that the Commission plans to ask for money at the October Town Meeting to repair and maybe replace fixtures at the park. She has requested quotes from Zero Gravity of Vermont and Skate Ways of Minnesota.
“I’ve been carrying the ball on this for three years,” Scarpa said. “It’s time for the parents who want this to step up and speak out to the town.”
Scarpa thinks he can muster the manpower if the town pays for supplies.
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