11/30/2014

Phase1rampingupforSalisburySkatepark

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Phase1rampingupforSalisburySkatepark
News|DelmarvaCrossroads|August17,20123:00pm

LocalskateboardersattendanAug.8hearing
regardingPhase1ofthecitysskatepark./Jared
Planzphoto
ByReedShelton,StaffWriter
SALISBURYInachamberfilledtocapacitymostlywitheagerlookingteenagersbearingskateboardsthecityannouncedlastweekthe
beginningofPhase1fortheconstructionofafreeskatepark.
ThecityofSalisburyhasalargenumberofyouthandmanyadultswholiketogoskateboarding,buthavenowherelocallythattheycanskate,said
DeborahStam,directorofCommunityDevelopment,attheAug.8meeting.Wefinallyhavetheopportunitytoprovideskateboarderswithasafe,
confinedareadesignedjustforthemwheretheycanpracticetheirsportofchoicewithoutputtingthemselvesatrisk,creatinganuisance,or
damagingthepropertyofothers.
In2007,theWicomicoCountyRecreationandParksDepartmentconductedaseriesoffivecommunityforumstodeterminetherecreationalneedsof
thearea.Ateach,theneedforskateboardingfacilitieswasadominantsubjectofthediscussions.Fiveyearslater,thatneedisbeingaddressed.
Despitethemanyplacesinthecitywhereitisfeasible,thesportisforbiddeninmostareasafactlearnedtimeandagainbylocalskateboarders.
Weusuallygettalkedtowhereverweskate,andtoldtobail,said15yearoldZacharyJenkinsofSalisbury.Theydonteventellustoleave
anymore.Theyjustcallthecops.
Afterconsideringtheimportanceofacentrallocationthatisfreetothepublic,withhighvisibilityandasafeamountofvehicularorpedestrian
traffic,thesitedecidedasthemostviableoptionisontheedgeoftheCityParkinthe900blockofSouthParkDriveneartheSalisburyFire
DepartmentStation1.
TheMarylandDepartmentofNationalResourcesawarded$262,000forPhase1,whichwouldincludethedesignandconstructionofthefirst6,000
squarefeetofskatingareaapouredinplaceconcretestructureallnecessarysitepreparationwork,andfencingalongthestreetsideofthesiteto
ensurethaterrantskateboardsdontreachthestreet.
Phase2willaddanadditional8,000squarefeetofskatingarea.
TheskateparkwasselectedbyDNRasoneoftheprojectsfundedthroughtheFY2012CommunityParksandPlaygroundsProgram.
Whiletherewasnotasingledissentingopinionheardinregardtotheimportanceofaskateparkbeingbuilt,disagreementregardingthelocation,
http://www.delmarvacrossroads.com/phase1rampingupforsalisburyskatepark/

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11/30/2014

Phase1rampingupforSalisburySkatepark

environmentalimpactandpotentialnoiseoftheproposedsitewasstronglyvoicedbynearbyresidents.
IdontwanttohavetolookoutmyfrontwindowandhaveallthatcommotionandallthatnoiseandIreallyhopethatyoullconsiderthat,said
JimCorron,wholivesinoneofthethreehousesacrossthestreetfromtheproposedsite.Idontwantitinmyfrontyard.
Thesecurityandsafetythatthecityiscapableofprovidingwasalsoapointraisedfrequently.
WicomicoCountyStatesAttorneyMattMaciarellospokeontheimportanceofhavingsomeoneonsitetoensurethathelmetsareworn,rules
followed,andthatalcoholandsmokingarekeptoffpremises.
Aslongasyouhavethat,thatsaveryhealthyplaceforkidstobe,Maciarellosaid.
Atthispointthereisinsufficientcitystafftohaveafulltimepersonattheskatepark,Stamsaid,addingtheintentionisforparkcommitteemembers
tomonitorthesiteonavolunteerbasis.
Thefinaldesignoftheskateparkwillbedeterminedinaseriesofplanningsessionswithlocalskateboardersandthegeneralpublictogaintheirown
inputonthetypeofelementsthattheywouldliketoseeincluded.
ManyofthoseinattendanceattheAug.8meetingstooduptocommentinordertosimplyexpresstheappreciationthatthisplanisfinallygoinginto
action.
Ouryoungpeopleareworth(this)investment,saidJeremyFerruccio,youthpastoratEmmanuelWesleyanChurch.
Oneyoungmanwhochosenottoidentifyhimselfapproachedthemicrophonewithhisskateboardandsimplysaid,Thankyou.

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