Hang time for skate park plan

COLUMBUS -- The relocation of the Columbus skate park is still up in the air as the Board of Parks Commissioners voted to table the issue until the August meeting.

The park board voted 7-1 Tuesday, with board member Steve Kohl dissenting, to table the issue until a location can be identified that best fits the criteria established by the board. Board member David Slusarski was absent from the meeting.

City staff recommended the skate park be located at Hanover Square, south of 14th Street between 15th and 16th avenues.

Glenna Engdahl, board member, said she received “many” calls from residents in the area of Hanover Square who opposed the placement of the skate park in the neighborhood park.

“Most everybody that lives around there does not want it (at Hanover Square),” Engdahl said.

Residents such as Keith Abbott, Bill Tworek and Tom Settje opposed the proposal at Hanover Square.

Abbott said St. Bonaventure students play in that park and installing the skate park in Hanover would take away their play space.

Board member Bill Gannon reiterated the same concern in his recommended criteria for relocating the skate equipment.

“Try to avoid taking away open play area,” Gannon said.

City Administrator Joseph Mangiamelli responded by asking: “Isn’t that going to be something you will face at every park?”

Tworek said the park is utilized more than perceived by the city. He also was concerned if the skate park was located in Hanover that vandalism could increase and conflict may arise between the kids who skate and the ones who currently use the park.

“We are going to have, in my opinion, the wrong crowd there,” he said.

Settje echoed similar sentiments, stating “more activity in that area will create more problems in that area.”

Mangiamelli said, during his presentation to the board, that the students should not be categorized or criticized because of their sport, especially since they could become the next generation of leaders in the community.

The public park system should be accessible to everyone and if the “not in my backyard” outlook is allowed to persist that attitude will snowball, he said. Instead, the board should establish criteria to assess an appropriate space.

Tom Hunt, park board chairman, said a skate park should be maintained in the city’s park system, but it’s a matter of where.

“I totally agree we need to maintain the facility, and we do need to site a location in our park system,” Hunt said. He requested the board establish criteria for the selection process.

The board directed city staff to find a location in one of the larger parks rather than a neighborhood park, a site with enough space for the association to expand the park to a size of 150-square-feet and a park with restroom, water and parking accommodations as well as a shelter for users should severe weather occur.

Greg “Doc” Schaefer, president of the Columbus Extreme Sports Association, said the association looked into alternative sites, such as Centennial Park and East Pawnee Park.

“Centennial Park would work, but we would have to take out the bow and arrow area and handball area,” and it would be close to homes, whereas the current proposal is half a block from the nearest resident, Schaefer said. Also, East Pawnee Park may be more susceptible to vandalism since it will be in the corner of the park and it would remove a city storage area.

Schaefer said the association is just attempting to provide a safe, centrally located skate park that is accessible to everyone in the community.

“The sole purpose is to keep kids safe while doing something they love,” he said.