Skateboard park to be scrapped?
Published on November 28th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Town Administrator David Ragucci recently advocated for tearing down Stoneham's dilapidated and vandalized skateboard park on Pomerworth Park, but several Selectmen convinced him to at least temporarily shelve that idea.
During a recent Selectmen meeting, Ragucci disclosed that he had canceled the insurance for the skateboard park after most of the apparatus was destroyed due to a recent act of arson.
The Town Administrator broached the topic in response to a letter from a local citizen, who reportedly complained about the deplorable condition of the area.
"We've taken the skateboarding out because basically, someone burnt down most of the appendages," said Ragucci. "I know Bob Grover and other DPW folks have been up there trying to maintain that park. But unless the parents and the children take some pride in that, [we'll have to tear it down]."
"The maintenance of that is beyond the ability of us to address. The kids are down there and they're making messes," added the Town Administrator, who has ordered the partial dismantling of the ramps.
Selectmen Frank Vallarelli and Chairman George Seibold later urged Ragucci to hold-off on the plans to raze the skateboard park, arguing that some type of alternate arrangement may be possible.
Recalling the crowds that originally called for the creation of the recreational space over a decade ago, Vallarelli requested that additional figures be provided on the costs of running and maintaining the property.
"Can we get back to the skateboard park?," Vallarelli said, after the Selectmen had moved on to other business. "Something is bothering me here. Before we start tearing things up, that's been there for 15 years. How much did we invest and how long was it viable?"
Seibold later contended that the park could be better maintained and policed, if town officials changed their management approach to the space.
However, the Selectmen Chair later suggested that the matter be addressed in more detail during an executive session, although he didn't disclose why the skateboard park had to be talked about behind closed doors.
"We don't want to start gong down the list of everything that's not working that's been voted on," said Seibold, who has repeatedly criticized decisions made by previous town officials.
Disagreeing with his counterparts, Selectman Paul Rotondi believed that the park should be done away with, if the costs of maintaining the property outweighed the benefits.
"I didn't advocate for going there tomorrow and tearing it down," said Rotondi. "But if it's costing us money, it's not being used, and the only thing it is being used for is vandalism, then maybe that is the right thing to do."
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