[ back ]
Skate park stays closed due to fighting
(by Sue Reid - April 15, 2009)
Skate park stays closed due to fighting
By SUE REID
For now, the skate park at the Solon Community Park will remain closed.
That was the determination of City Council's safety and public properties committee last week. Members said the park would remain closed until a solution is reached.
The skate park had been temporarily closed after a fight broke out March 27 and Solon police were contacted. There were four Solon teenagers involved in the fight with one using a skateboard as a weapon, according to Recreation Director Donald W. Holub.
This is not the first time the park has been closed due to problems. It was closed last year and then reopened on a limited basis. It reopened again early last month after being closed for the winter.
Mr. Holub, along with Russell J. Schneider, assistant director of recreation, proposed to the committee three options with regards to the skate park for their consideration.
One would be to limit the users of the skate park to 12 years old and younger while accompanied by an adult 21 or older. The second option would be to charge participants a seasonal fee, have access to the park only for limited hours, provide photo identification to pass holders and use revenue to hire an adult monitor during open hours. The third option would be to close the skate park.
Councilman and committee chairman Edward K. Suit said he does not think the first option is a viable alternative. "I do not think it would solve the problems," he said. "It's unfortunate we've come to this point," he said.
"We've had continuous problems here," Mr. Suit said. "We have to finally bite the bullet and address the situation."
Mr. Holub said what was especially disturbing about the fight on March 27 was that, while recreation employees were trying to intervene, they were spoken to with profanity and little respect.
"Obviously, this will be an ongoing problem unless something is changed," Mr. Holub said.
"It's unfortunate," Mr. Suit said. "I would not be opposed to closing it."
Councilman and committee member Edward H. Kraus said he would favor some variation of the second option. There are some residents who use it and are respectful of the park. He said even more residents would use it if it was safe. The problems there may be scaring away "law-abiding youngsters" from using it, he said. If a fee is charged, "you'll get those who really enjoy it and use it for what it was originally intended," he said.
"The skating park is an extension of our recreation," Mr. Kraus said.
Mr. Holub said, if someone would be hired to monitor the skate park, an adult would be preferred. "Kids monitoring kids can be even more of a problem," he said. If an adult monitor is hired, he said, he anticipates that person working 35 to 39 hours a week.
Councilman and committee member William I. Russo asked Mr. Holub if it is the same people continuing to cause problems at the skate park.
Mr. Holub said they are different people.
The park needs to be very well monitored with strong adult supervision, Mr. Russo said.
The committee directed Mr. Holub and Mr. Schneider to consult with Law Director David J. Matty for an opinion on an adult monitor from a liability standpoint.
Mr. Holub said the problems at the skate park are often not the people using the skate park but those "just hanging around."
"If we close the skate park, we may not solve the problem, but push it to other parts of the community," Mr. Russo said. "We need to look at the big picture."
Mr. Suit said the city has not had these problems at other places besides the skate park. Without an adult monitor, he said, "I would want it closed."
[ back ]
