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| Avalon NJ's Skate Park, Could Media Have one Too? |
Now, aside from that location, there is another one I know the skaters like just as much. This one is actually in Upper Providence and is located around Kirk Lane towards Providence Road. You'll have to look hard to find it, but this area has curbs, long rides and some pretty smooth surfaces.
I was recently in Avalon, NJ and saw a great setup for skate boarders. I hear a park can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $60,000, but it might be worth a quick call to Avalon Borough to find out. If it's on the lower side of my estimate, this wouldn't be that hard to do. It would take time, but there could be a one or two places that could accommodate a park like this. One is actually on borough property!
If the Mayor and Borough Council President, Brian Hall can spend $20,000 on a 5 minute informercial that no one saw, imagine putting that kind of money towards the youth of this town.
I think it is a great idea. My son had his skate board taken away last week by a borough cop. I guess this guy couldn't find any real criminals that day. I mean it is really ridiculous. The cop said he will not give it back and it will be destroyed.
ReplyDeleteI really don't get need for a skate park. There are not many kids with skate boards in Media and a dedicated park will only encourage more accidents and injuries. We have baseballs fields, tennis courts and basketball courts for the kids to use and the 20 or so kids who skate regularly have plenty of walkways and curbs right outside their homes to use. I'm sure one of their parents even have a yard large enough for the kids to put a few ramps in. Don't see how this is a taxpayer's concern.
ReplyDeleteIf your kid had his board taken away by a borough cop then I'm going to guess he was doing something inappropriate. Open your eyes.
As per the skate boarding ordinance after receiving 2 citations a borough cop can take the skate board from the child. Razor scooters, skate boards and anything resembling a skate board falls under the ordinance. I saw a 7 year old on a scooter by the court house, which is with in the boundaries of the ordinance. That is a $96. Fine too the parents or 3 days of community service. Two kids under 10 were at the playground with scooters and their dad present on Saturday. That is also prohibited as per the ordinance. It's not fair to the kids that use these types of sporting equipment. A skate park would help our community tremendously.
DeleteYou're not justifying a real need. Parents can take the kids to Ridley Creek State Park or the like to play with their specialized equipment.
DeleteAnd how about parents that work and can not just leave to drive the kids to the park??? Many of the families these days need to incomes to make ends meet. The kids should have something local. If they are going to ban skateboarding in the borough then they should have a local outlet for them to go to. I am not letting my 13 year old or my 15 year old walk to the park while I am at work.
DeleteWould the kids be required to wear helmets and pads in such a park because the kids cruising around the neighborhood don't wear them?
ReplyDeleteThe next call needs to be to an insurance company that handles that kind of facility. I would imagine the liability is high, particularly if its unattended and no waivers are being signed by parents? Sounds like a nightmare to me.
ReplyDeleteThe kids use the parking garage at 200 E State. Some have put graffiti on the bottom level, but the biggest concern is they could be hit by a car.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of government, of taxes, is to serve the common good. Building a skate park stretches this to the limit. A fee for service skate park in which the fees pay for an amortized cost of acquisition/construction/operations might be acceptable, though I'm not fully certain it truly would serve the common good.
ReplyDeleteI think having a skate park would be a great idea. Hasn't the borough made enough over the past 20 years on skate boarding tickets to pay for this? Oh wait....they spent it on the infomercial. But seriously, if these kids are going to get their boards taken away, rack up fines, we have lots of playgrounds in the area but the kids are not allowed to skateboard on them. It just doesn't seem fair. If they keep skate boarding in parking garages it is a recipe for tragedy. I don't think the graffiti was caused by these kids. I know most of them cause I have a son that skates with them. I hope they get this done soon. I don't want my kid walking up Orange St. to Kirk Ln. to go skate. It is not a safe road for foot travel by an adult. Someone should talk to Upper Chichester Township, they just revamped their skate park. It looks great, the kids take care of it and respect the rules and half of them are getting rides from me from here in Media. But I can't always be available to them.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for these kids because I think they just want to have fun, but the graffiti is definitely by someone skateboarding, because it's about skateboarding!
ReplyDeleteCan the kids ride on one built out of grass? If so, lets make a greenway/skateboard park that's 1000% green. I suggest it be built straight down state street - those impervious surfaces aren't progressive enough for this town!
ReplyDelete(Note to self, form a friends of state street group and get it on with one of the incoming councilpeople)
Skaeboarding disallowed,roller blading allowed,think most of the skate board crowd are slackers,but to ban them, and not roller bladers is unfair...if you have a hard time making ends mee then stop buying skateboards and letting them incur fines...
ReplyDeleteI have three sons and one likes to play ice hockey, another enjoys paintball and the third likes to rock climb. Can we build three of these facilities to accommodate their needs too? I'm not always able to drive them to a facility outside of town. Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeleteMost of their needs can be met at Glen Providence Park. They can ice skate on the pond, roller blade near the bird sanctuary and rock climb even. This thread was about giving a "banned " sport a chance using a place that is meant for just that sport. Last time I heard there is no ordinance in effect for those activities.
ReplyDeleteNow my son has had his skateboard taken and we were told he is getting a $220.96 fine. Don't the cops have anything better to do. This is ridiculous. My son and the other boys should not get in trouble for a sport. Something needs to be done. I'm all for a skate park too. And to the above comment, the one with the three sons. I'm sure those activities aren't part of the ordinance. Come on now.
ReplyDeleteThat is insane. Perhaps If the cops don't have anything better to do but troll around and stalk the skatebiarders It's time to lay some off. We could use that money for the skate park.
DeleteWow! I can't believe how much the fines are. That is worse then traffic citations. For kids just having fun. I didn't know the kids riding scooters were affected by the ban either. I think for all the kids getting fined for boarding, give the cops something to do, call when you see a kid on a scooter. Maybe they'll leave the boarders alone if They keep getting calls about the other violators of a clearly unfair ordinance!
ReplyDeleteI just saw 3 kids hop out of a mini van get on skate boards and head to the playground. There are also 2 kids riding scooters in the playground with their dad. Some one call 911. Hurry! There are kids having fun. Yeah, this whole citation thing for skate boarding is just wrong. A skate park would be helpful.
DeleteWhen my child asked for a copy of the ordinance after having his board taken, the cop refused to give him a copy and left. My son called 911, as instructed at the police station after 5pm, to speak with another officer, the same cop came back. My child requested a copy of the ordinance again and the cop gave him a citation for disorderly conduct.
ReplyDeleteIsn't his right to request this? Give the kids their concrete playground (skate park). These kids who are just playing are gonna develop emotional stress from this. They are gonna be afraid of the cops instead of knowing the police are there help. That is horrible, I would fight those tickets. But having to subject your child to the court proceedings for just playing is terrible. My kids ride skate boards and scooters all the time. If I request a copy of the ordinance am I going to get fined?
DeleteSo let me get this straight... you all think it is not a cop's job to enforce an ordinance that has been on the books since 1990? And that it is a cop's responsibility to provide "a copy" of the ordinance, on-demand to some kid who got caught breaking said ordinance? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteIf the kids in this town can't follow the current laws, which their parents seem to support, why would anyone think the same kids & parents would follow any rules and regulations in a skate park?
Look at other townships like havertown. They have a skate boarding ordinance and built a skate park to accommodate the needs of the youth in the community. They have had huge success with it. The township manager told me today the kids respect the rules and keep it clean.
DeleteI went by our playground the other day and picked up trash with my kid that skate boards. He is a good kid and yes If a cop is going to write a citation for the ordinance a copy should be available or the cop could had told him how to get that information. Skate boarding and scootering is not a crime. Ofcourse my child could had made a better choice and we talked about it to the point he was crying that he wasn't hurting anyone or causing property damage.
Let's come together like Havertown and give these kids a skate park. Rules could be posted, the parents could sign a waiver claiming responsibility for injury not holding the borough liable at the police station.
Do you want your kid doing community service for this and picking up drug waste, (needles, bags) etc. in Chester for playing a sport and using a mode of transportation? In some post above it suggested to call the cops everytime you see kids riding scooters and skate boards in the business district and at the playground, I'm gonna do just that until we get a skate park! Gonna keep these cops real busy!
Saw a kid get arrested today after a police man took his skateboard. I felt bad for this kid. He looked to be about 12.
ReplyDeleteYeah, media should really build a skatepark. The kid that created the graffiti, I know him, he's a screwup and doesn't really skate. All the kids I skate with are responsible kids and really need a skatepark to go skate in without worry of a police officer coming in and giving us ridiculously large fines. We really have nowhere to go skate at besides places in media, such as Media Elementary. Whenever we skate there we are constantly checking for police, I am really sick of this. We really aren't doing anything wrong. All Media would have to do is repave an empty lot ( I know of plenty) and let us build our own ledges and rails. I also know that there are still ramps left over from the KAOS skate jams that they used to do on Edgemont street. All these ramps are collecting dust in the Barrall Field shed, we could also put these in the skatepark. It wouldn't really be too much of a burden for Media, seeing as they have collected thousands of dollars in citation money.
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