WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW! THANK YOU!
PITCHER PARK PROPOSED DESIGN 7-4-09
This is a preliminary design that was presented to us by Pasheck & Associates on July 4, 2009. Pitcher Park displayed the design at the Dormont 4th of July Celebration and it was received 99.9% positively by the community.
There were however several (aprx. 5 people) that negatively reacted to the project stating that "Having a skatepark near our homes will bring our property value down" and "No way is this going tohappen. I'm fighting this." and another person actually went directly to the Council President at the 4th Celebration and voiced a negative opinion then and there.
The last person I spoke with was very respectful and conveyed his condolences to me about the deaths of Vincent and Stephen. I asked him to take a ride out to South Park Skatepark on any given day at any given time for him to wittness the young adults & kids there, to listen to the noise level and just take a minute to talk to these kids while he was there. I don't know if he will take the time to do that, but if you or anyone one you know has a negative reaction to the skatepark, please tell them to do the same, as I think they will be pleasantly surprised at what they see and hear. Remember South Park has a HUGE metal half pipe that can be some what noisy but that is something that will not be present in our proposed park.
This design has NOT been approved but will be presented to the
Dormont Borough Council on
July 27, 2009, Monday at 7:00PM.
PLEASE COME TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT!
WE NEED EVERYONE!!! CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES, YOUNG ADULTS & INTERESTED ADULTS, TO ATTEND THIS MEETING TO SHOW DORMONT HOW IMPORTANT THIS SKATE PARK IS TO OUR YOUNG RESIDENTS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES!
___________________________________________________________________________________
A REPORT ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED DESIGN FOR PITCHER PARK
MEETING OF JULY 27, 2009
__________________________________
The meeting was moved from Dormont Council Chambers on Hillsdale Avenue,to the adjacent gymnasium as Pitcher Park was well represented by over 100 people at this meeting all wearing buttons stating "I SUPPORT PITCHER PARK".
Mr. John Buerkle from Pashek and Associates the design team hired by Pitcher Park was well prepared to give an overview of the design and answered many questions during his presentation to the Council and the public in attendance. The Pitche Park people in attendance was told ahead of time that there would be opposition to the skatepark and our job that night was strictly to show the Dormont Council this preliminary plan.
After the presentation, residents only were allowed to speak and about nine residents the majority being from Memorial Drive got up immediately, some with written statements, a petition, and pictures of other skateparks in the Pittsburgh area. A lot of topics they touched on were answered by the presentation, but it became apparent by the end of their speaking that the majority of them stated that "We are not opposed to the skatepark, but the location of the skatepark".
Five Pitcher Park supporters got up to speak Nick Turkell, Adam Rumpler, George Vlastos, Vicki Karabasz and Mary Pitcher. Nick and George touched upon the fact that had there been a skatepark for them to use as youth in Dormont they might not have gotten into trouble as much as they did as teens. Adam touched on the subject of Grafitti...some of it to be considered as "Modern Art" and the fact that a wall or designated place could be built into the park to use as an outlet for those who feel the need to grafitti. Vicki Karabasz spoke about an oppposition comment made that Pitcher Park was collecting funds prior to even know where the skatepark would be built stating that in order to get even this intial design we had to raise money. Mary Pitcher stated that Pitcher Park although being built to memorialize her sons, was for the living youth of the community and stressed how hard it was to raise four boys who liked to ride bikes, skateboard and rollerblade in such a city like setting. Mrs. Pitcher went on to say that she often took the whole neighborhood in her van, outside of Dormont so they could be safe riding bikes and skating. She also feels very strongly that a skatepark would only help the police because they wouldn't have to constantly remove kids from parking lots. the transit stops, streets and side walks everywhere around town and give tickets for disorderly conduct, thus eliminating the vicious cylce of disrespect for the police and the police's problems with the youth. We would all know where are children are when they are biking, skateboarding and rollerblading.
The meeting ended with President John Maggio stating publically that in his heart it seems right, but in his head it would not fit in Dormont and this message was quoted in the Tribune review ver batem. (see "In the News" on this website.
There were however several (aprx. 5 people) that negatively reacted to the project stating that "Having a skatepark near our homes will bring our property value down" and "No way is this going tohappen. I'm fighting this." and another person actually went directly to the Council President at the 4th Celebration and voiced a negative opinion then and there.
The last person I spoke with was very respectful and conveyed his condolences to me about the deaths of Vincent and Stephen. I asked him to take a ride out to South Park Skatepark on any given day at any given time for him to wittness the young adults & kids there, to listen to the noise level and just take a minute to talk to these kids while he was there. I don't know if he will take the time to do that, but if you or anyone one you know has a negative reaction to the skatepark, please tell them to do the same, as I think they will be pleasantly surprised at what they see and hear. Remember South Park has a HUGE metal half pipe that can be some what noisy but that is something that will not be present in our proposed park.
This design has NOT been approved but will be presented to the
Dormont Borough Council on
July 27, 2009, Monday at 7:00PM.
PLEASE COME TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT!
WE NEED EVERYONE!!! CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES, YOUNG ADULTS & INTERESTED ADULTS, TO ATTEND THIS MEETING TO SHOW DORMONT HOW IMPORTANT THIS SKATE PARK IS TO OUR YOUNG RESIDENTS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES!
___________________________________________________________________________________
A REPORT ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED DESIGN FOR PITCHER PARK
MEETING OF JULY 27, 2009
__________________________________
The meeting was moved from Dormont Council Chambers on Hillsdale Avenue,to the adjacent gymnasium as Pitcher Park was well represented by over 100 people at this meeting all wearing buttons stating "I SUPPORT PITCHER PARK".
Mr. John Buerkle from Pashek and Associates the design team hired by Pitcher Park was well prepared to give an overview of the design and answered many questions during his presentation to the Council and the public in attendance. The Pitche Park people in attendance was told ahead of time that there would be opposition to the skatepark and our job that night was strictly to show the Dormont Council this preliminary plan.
After the presentation, residents only were allowed to speak and about nine residents the majority being from Memorial Drive got up immediately, some with written statements, a petition, and pictures of other skateparks in the Pittsburgh area. A lot of topics they touched on were answered by the presentation, but it became apparent by the end of their speaking that the majority of them stated that "We are not opposed to the skatepark, but the location of the skatepark".
Five Pitcher Park supporters got up to speak Nick Turkell, Adam Rumpler, George Vlastos, Vicki Karabasz and Mary Pitcher. Nick and George touched upon the fact that had there been a skatepark for them to use as youth in Dormont they might not have gotten into trouble as much as they did as teens. Adam touched on the subject of Grafitti...some of it to be considered as "Modern Art" and the fact that a wall or designated place could be built into the park to use as an outlet for those who feel the need to grafitti. Vicki Karabasz spoke about an oppposition comment made that Pitcher Park was collecting funds prior to even know where the skatepark would be built stating that in order to get even this intial design we had to raise money. Mary Pitcher stated that Pitcher Park although being built to memorialize her sons, was for the living youth of the community and stressed how hard it was to raise four boys who liked to ride bikes, skateboard and rollerblade in such a city like setting. Mrs. Pitcher went on to say that she often took the whole neighborhood in her van, outside of Dormont so they could be safe riding bikes and skating. She also feels very strongly that a skatepark would only help the police because they wouldn't have to constantly remove kids from parking lots. the transit stops, streets and side walks everywhere around town and give tickets for disorderly conduct, thus eliminating the vicious cylce of disrespect for the police and the police's problems with the youth. We would all know where are children are when they are biking, skateboarding and rollerblading.
The meeting ended with President John Maggio stating publically that in his heart it seems right, but in his head it would not fit in Dormont and this message was quoted in the Tribune review ver batem. (see "In the News" on this website.