5/03/2006

Skatboarding towards a solution

By Dolores E. Pike

There was hardly a place to park at 9 a.m. in White Horse Park in Ocean Pines on the last Saturday morning in April.  The main reason for all the traffic was the Ocean Pines Association’s (OPA) spring indoor/outdoor flea market.  But an important meeting for another group was taking place that morning also.

Mike Howell, head of OPA parks and recreation department, and Paul Kelly, of the OPA parks and recreation ad hoc committee, had invited the kids of Ocean Pines to come and voice their input on what they would like to have in a skateboard facility in the Pines.  Along with the skateboarders, their siblings and parents there were about 40 people in all occupying the benches in the park’s pavilion.

Mr. Howell started out by saying how excited he was to see such a large number of kids turn out.  Mr. Kelly added that he was very encouraged by all the kids that were there.  He knew some them had to get up early to be able to skateboard over to the pavilion by 9 a.m. 

By a show of hands, there was a representation of kids from all sections of the Pines.

“This is going to be your park.  The ideas are coming from you.  It is intended for Ocean Pines and you guys will need to patrol it yourselves,” said Mr. Howell.  He also told the kids assembled that any outsiders using the facility are to be reminded “… that it is your place and they are the visitors.”  The skateboard park will be free and therefore it must be maintenance free. 

Though many parents chimed in with questions that could be categorized as how, what, when and where as to the construction aspect, it was the kids that Mr. Kelly was looking to for input.  What did they want?

The boys responded with suggestions for “street elements,” “half pipe,” “curves;” “rails” and “stairs.”  He told the kids to make a sketch of any design ideas they might have and turn them in to the recreation office. They suggested to Mr. Kelly that he could get more information on the features they suggested by logging onto the Internet at www.skateplaza.com. 

Mr. Kelly said that in driving through the Pines over time he has noted that there are playgrounds for younger children but nothing for the older ones.  He said that it was then that he began to envision a skateboarding park.  His original thoughts for such a facility were something along the order of the front of the Ocean Pines library with is curves and rails where skateboarders continue to skate despite all the warnings to the contrary.  Unfortunately skateboarders have caused extensive damage at the library as well as at the Ocean Pines tennis courts.  And since the tennis facility is expected to be monetarily self-sustaining, maintenance repairs to the courts are probably reflected, to a degree, in members’ dues.

“There is a definite need (for a facility) because the skateboarders are not welcome anywhere. I understand that they have done some damage but they have no place to go,” said Barbara Kissel, chairperson of the OPA’s Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee.  Ms. Kissel has been busy looking into the various areas such as insurance, liability, location, parental waivers, etc., that would be part and parcel of such a facility.  As far as liability at public skateboarding sites as it relates to basic skateboarding moves, Ms. Kissel has found that the instances of major injuries are extremely rare. Compared to other sports there are fewer injuries and she points out that skateboarding is a legitimate sport. 

Approximately two months ago OPA Director Reid Sterrett spoke with Ms. Kissell, about the need for a safe skateboarding facility for the kids in Ocean Pines.  Currently they skateboard in the street, sometimes setting up their homemade ramps, and in general posing a hazard to both themselves and motorists.   

“As the father of an 11 year old boy I am definitely interested in and support such a facility 100 percent,” said Mr. Sterrett who added he allows his son John to skateboard on a level surface only without building any ramps.

Mr. Howell wrapped up the short meeting by reminding those assembled that no budget has been set yet because a need must first be established and presented to the board before a skateboarding facility will be considered..  “Don’t think of it as build it and they will come,” he said.  The construction costs of a skateboarding facility would fall under the heading of a capital project.   

There is no time frame within which Mr. Kelly and/or Ms. Kissell will present their findings to the OPA board, let alone establish a date for the completion of the project.  On the Tuesday evening following Saturday’s meeting Mr. Kelly was scheduled to present his findings at the Recreation and Parks advisory committee’s monthly meeting. Mr. Howell also reminded everyone that if they envisioned too elaborate a facility it would mean someone would have to look after it and he predicted the “board would not go for that.”

As the kids filed out of the pavilion, one boy stopped long enough to demonstrate his skateboarding skills to Mr. Howell. 

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