Ortonville- The Village Skate Park will close out the 2015 season at 5 p.m., today, Oct. 31.
Whether the park will reopen at all in 2016 is unknown at this time.
‘We will revisit whether we will even open the Skate Park next year,? said Village Manager John Lyons. ‘Not that many people signed up and used it this year.?
The park, located at the corner of Ball and Cedar streets in the village opened in July of this year after a nearly 2-year hiatus due to a lack of registrations.
Registration fees help fund a skate park monitor, necessary for oversight of the park which was very popular with kids when it opened in 2004, but drew the ire of neighbors who complained of noise, vandalism, littering, profanity and drug use by skate park users.
The majority of the issues were resolved with the monitor, but registrations dwindled. After the council voted 4-3 at their June 22 meeting to reopen the park, the village only tallied 46 season pass registrants. At a cost of just $10 per pass for the abbreviated season, Lyons notes the $460 gathered is not enough to fund the monitor.
‘There is the possibility the township may run some programs next year,? said Lyons. ‘Stay tuned.?
Skate Park equipment is owned by Brandon Township and Recreation Director Fred Waybrant has estimated the total investment in the park to be $120,000, with $85,000 worth of equipment, $15,000 in concrete, and the remainder of costs in fencing and excavating. Various fundraisers and donations paid for the park’s establishment.
A park committee meeting regarding the skate park’s future has not been scheduled.