Ortonville- More than 30 people crammed into the village office conference room on Tuesday for a meeting to discuss the Village Skate Park.
The skate park has been closed since July 27, after neighbors cited problems with kids at the park that include indecent exposure, foul language, and drug use.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Skate Park Committee’which includes neighbors of the park, concerned residents and two village councilmembers’discussed possible solutions.
‘We’re trying to gtther information and make this a safe place,? said Kay Green, who led the meeting. ‘The purpose of this meeting is to (determine) what to do if we leave the park there. Is it cost-prohibitive to move it? We have to shut it down if we can’t stop some of the behaviors… and the noise is like a 2-ton truck over the road.?
Brandon Parks and Recreation Director Fred Waybrant estimates it would cost $25,000 to move the equipment for the park within the village. To move the equipment to the new township park (which has been suggested) would cost another $5,000, he estimates. Concrete would be an additional cost and Waybrant notes that in 2002, the cost of the concrete for the park was $8,900, a discounted price.
Speaking at the meeting, Pam Delandsheer said her son goes to the skate park, and closing it is not a solution.
‘We got the whole community together to build it and to close it is wrong,? she said.
Others were just as against moving it, saying that to move it out to the new park would be unfair to kids who can’t drive and to move it within the village would just make other neighbors complain.
Possible solutions touched upon at the meeting include security guards, video cameras, lights, fencing, foam to reduce noise, a possible fee for users, a change in the hours and a change to the age of kids allowed to use the park.
‘The skate park was intended to be for ages 14 and under,? said Green. ‘The equipment is built for younger ages… We will revisit everything.?
One proposal mentioned at the meeting was to use a piece of property located behind the Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School. The property in question is not owned by the school district.
Aaron Van Dis, a 19-year-old skateboarder and village resident, was at the meeting and signed up to be on the Skate Park Committee, which will next meet at 4 p.m., Aug. 14, at the village offices, 476 Mill St.
‘I would like to see the park stay (in its current location) so the kids can have fun,? he said. ‘I feel a few (of the committee members) are working for that, but others don’t want the skate park anywhere.?