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Newark discusses skateboard park Newark Mayor Fred Pirelli reserved the High School auditorium for Tuesday night's village board meeting, referring to the gathering as a 'Shareholders Meeting.' On the agenda was a presentation by Mark Foster and Kelly Saad from San Diego, California. Foster runs a skateboard facility there, while Saad is involved in building skateboard parks. Pirelli met them while on a recent trip to the area. About 80 people, including many students, were in attendance at the meeting to hear the presentation. Also present were Mike Muscolino Director of the Alex Eligh Community Center, Police Chief Richard Bogan, and Town Supervisor Dom Bartucca. School board members were invited, but none were in attendance. Pirelli gave an introduction to the skateboard subject, by indicating that the proposed facility could be built at the Frey St. park, which the village owns. Pirelli went on to say that the skating park would serve skateboarders as well as ice skaters, and be about 30,000 sq. ft. in size. Funds to build the facility could come from grants, fundraisers, the Town of Arcadia, Newark School District, or any combination thereof. The most important news, according to Pirelli, was that insurance may not be as big a problem as previously thought. According to Newark's insurance carrier, if all proper safety precautions are practiced and enforced, additional insurance costs would be minimal. Foster gave a video presentation of one of the nation's top facilities located on the west coast. This video gave an overview of how such a park is constructed. Foster and Saad then answered questions concerning skateboard parks. Size, hours of operation, supervison and design were addressed, with one subject standing out from the rest - safety equipment. Foster and Pirelli stressed that there could be no compromise as far as safety equipment is concerned. A small group of students questioned whether skateboarding was as dangerous as other sports such as football and soccer and wondered why the fuss over insurance. A parent quickly spoke up, saying that if this facility is built, there will be rules enforced, with no exceptions. Pirelli admitted that many questions have yet to be answered concerning a skateboard park, but he stressed that he does not want a 'puny' park, but a state-of-the-art, benchmark facility, and wants the kids to have input. Pirelli also indicated that such firms as Wegmans have offered to help. Town Supervisor Dom Bartucca voiced his approval of the effort and volunteered to co-ordinate a fund raising campaign. A parent, John Dann of Caboor Ct. praised Pirelli and Bartucca for their efforts on behalf of the kids. Pirelli admitted that he does not see the village budget coming up with the $150,000 needed for this project, but that through volunteering and fundraising, this facility could be built. Village Trustee Kurt Werts said that the next step is for those present to get organized and get the ball rolling. Other village action: * Highway manager Jim Sadler indicated that he hopes to hear from ARC by June 22 on the Harrison St. project. * Route 88 S./Stevens St. intersection: it was agreed that the 45-degree angled entrance to Stevens St. would be eliminated as part of the current state project. This would leave only the 90 degree entrance. Safety was an issue in this decision. * Perkins Park: The subject of ruts in the driveways of Perkins Park and the bus loop led to a discussion about the Park becoming a parking lot for the school district. Trustee Werts said that the board should get together with the school to come up with a solution. * Trustee Peter Blandino asked if Central and Colburn Parks were ready for coming events, and suggested that flags surround the veterans monument. The board like the idea, agreeing that the VFW and American Legion would have to be involved. * Trustee John Palermo expressed his unhappiness about a letter that appeared in the Newark Courier-Gazette last week concerning the condition of East Union St. Palermo asked highway manager Jim Sadler to comment. Sadler stressed that the state has planned a project that will completely reconstruct this street, and that the project gets a low priority, but the state insists that it will be done. Sadler does not want to put village money into repairs if the state is going to just come through and tear it up. Copyright © 1999 |
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