First Post! 08/14/2009
From: lauriemalka@hotmail.com Subject: OPINION NEEDED REGARDING SKATE PARK IN DORMONT Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:37:00 +0000 Hi all! We’re trying to get an idea of how the residents of Dormont, Green Tree and Castle Shannon feel about a potential Skate Park in Dormont Park. This is an idea that started from a tragic accident, and has blossomed into a “movement” of young and older people trying to get additional recreational facilities in our community. We’ve heard pro’s and con’s from a smaller group of people, and would like to get a better idea of how the 8500 residents of Dormont feel about this (since it will potentially be in our back yards!) – but we’re also interested in how our KO communities feel about it. Please read the information below, and then send me an email letting me know your feelings about this proposed plan. The basic idea is as follows: · Along Memorial Drive in Dormont (above Dormont Pool), we are interested in having a 15,000 to 18,000 SF skate park that would be used by skateboarders, skaters and bmx riders. It would have 2 bowls built into the ground (not round – more amoeba shaped…), and stairs, a few ramps and a streetscape. This entire complex would be constructed of concrete to minimize noise. · In addition to the Skate Park, we plan to have a Deck Hockey Rink built. It would be regulation sized so local teams could have their games in our park. · The last part of this plan is to include a dog park, so that there is a safe area to walk your dogs, let them run a bit, etc. To aid with the parking dilemma that always exists in Dormont, the access road that goes through the middle of Dormont Park could be widened to add angled parking on one or both sides of this road. This would be an asset during baseball season as well, since parking is always a challenge when attending a game at Pop Murray field. Some of the “con’s” we’ve heard regarding this plan includes: · A skate park will bring in a questionable “element” to our small town that might introduce drugs and alcohol, etc. · Trash and graffiti will be a problem. · There isn’t room in Dormont Park. · The liability issue will cost us money. · We don’t have the money to build it, and we can’t maintain it. · We don’t want the noise and lights across from our homes. · This won’t be used by Dormont residents, it will be used by outsiders.. · It would be located near a school, and children shouldn’t hear the bad words, etc. that surrounds a skate park. Some of these concerns have validity, some don’t. Here are some of the reponses to the above concerns: · A skate park will bring in a questionable “element” to our small town that might introduce drugs and alcohol, etc. Drugs and alcohol are already a reality in our community. One of our biggest problems is that we have nothing for our “tweeners” to do (ages 12 to 18). Since most of these kids are too young to get jobs or drive, if they aren’t in an organized sport, they tend to walk around and get into trouble. A skate park will give them a place to congregate and a new sport to learn, which will give them an activity to learn. It could keep lots of kids off the streets, especially during fall, winter and spring months when many of our exercise or sport facilities are closed and locked. Trash and graffiti will be a problem. Again, Trash and graffiti already exist. In many skate parks, they have provided graffiti walls for the creative graffiti artists, with limitations on language and content. This is one option we have and may want to consider. Other parks have the skaters clean up when they’re done skating. If it’s not kept clean, the parks are locked for a few days. The skaters tend to keep things clean so they don’t lose the privilege of skating. There isn’t room in Dormont Park. A large portion of Dormont Park is unused, and looks uncared for. Although it may offer a country “feel”, in a community of less than one square mile, it is more important that we are providing needed activities and recreational areas for our children. Much of our park is unused, especially the back area near the old tennis courts. During the DayCamp program this summer, several of the camp counselors commented that they hardly saw anyone in the park area. To add an activity that will BRING people into the park and create a hub of activity seems like a positive compromise to the loss of marshland. In addition, our Master Plan which was adopted in 1995 recommended a skate park in the location of the old tennis courts. So, here we are, 14 years later – and we finally have the opportunity to put some of that plan into action. The liability issue will cost us money. According to Police in South Park, our insurance company, and communities that have Skate Parks; these facilities have very few reported injuries and accidents, far fewer than organized sports programs such as football, baseball, softball and basketball. Therefore, the increased cost to the Borough should be non-existant. We will verify this before we move ahead. We don’t have the money to build it, and we can’t maintain it. We estimate this Skate Park/Deck Hockey area to cost approx. $500,000.00, although it could be less. The money to build this park would come from the Pitcher Park group’s fundraising efforts, and any grants we can find that will help it happen. It is possible that certain corporations would be willing to fund this, and the Tony Hawk group provides grants as well. They have already been in touch with Mary Pitcher and her group of people. The bottom line regarding costs to BUILD this is that it will not be tax dollars that pay to build this park; it will be grants and fundraising. Maintaining the park should be minimal, and in fact, may be less burdensome than it is to maintain the areas now. We will need garbage picked up, fences painted, etc. Many people in the community have expressed an interest in getting a group of volunteers to oversee some of the yearly maintenance projects. In no way will this project require hiring extra personnel to maintain it. We don’t want the noise and lights across from our homes. The original proposed location for the Skate Park was in the area where the old tennis courts are located. Based on the concern of local residents, we asked the designer to look at moving the Skate Park further down Memorial Drive so it is not near homes, but rather, is across from the Rec. Center. We are looking at putting the Skate Park along Memorial Drive near where the old Memorial was located, OR on the hill where the large Pavilion is located. Either area will put the active areas away from the homes and should provide a good compromise to this concern. We have also asked to have the road in the park join with Memorial Drive below the residential area as well, to minimize traffic. · This won’t be used by Dormont residents, it will be used by outsiders.. We hope it will be used by both! It has the potential to bring in skaters, skateboarders, bikers and their families, which will help our local businesses. Because of our central location, it’s possible that we would be able to host competitions or shows that would bring money into the Borough. Having the largest pool and the best skatepark in Southwestern Pennsylvania could be a real “plus” for our community. It would be located near a school, and children shouldn’t hear the bad words, etc. that surrounds a skate park. My kids tell me they learned bad words from other students at Dormont Elementary… from Kindergarten and on. Of course, you just have to watch TV for a few minutes, and you’ll get an earful. Whether you’re at Pop Murray field, Beggs Snyder, the High School practice field or a Skate Park, there will be a mix of kids and a mix of verbiage we may not want to hear. Dormont Elementary students do not utilize the park very often, and the way the children are dismissed from school, it is rare for children to cut through the park. The impact should be minimal, but every effort will be made to encourage the skaters and skateboarders to be aware of children in the area and to set a good example. That’s the information I have to this point. Now I need YOUR INPUT. Let me know your thoughts, your concerns and your opinion on whether this would be a good idea for our communities. Dormont Borough Council will be voting on whether this project “sinks or swims” in Dormont in the September or October Business Meeting, so we need your response NOW. We want to be sure that our vote is a reflection of ALL of our community. When emailing me, please be sure to include your name, address, community (GT,D,CS) and the number of people (#adults/#children) who reside with you. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me or email me. And please pass this on to your friends and families. Even if people don’t live in our communities but feel they’d use a Skate Park in Dormont, let us know of their interest! IMPORTANT REMINDER: MARY PITCHER SUBMITTED A LETTER FOR A $25,000 GRANT TO HELP HER BUILD A SKATE PARK (whether it's in Dormont or not, this skate park WILL HAPPEN!) PITCHER PARK WAS ONE OF THE TEN FINALISTS. NOW YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! EVERY DAY UNTIL AUGUST 25TH, GO TO THIS WEBSITE: www.markhammarkofdistinction.com and vote for Pitcher Park. They need your help and everyone you know who has an email address to vote so they can make a positive impact in a local community! VOTE and help them get $25,000.00 closer to realizing their dream! Thank YOU! Laurie Malka Dormont Borough Councilperson & Middle School PFO President Phone: (412) 561-5636 Email: lauriemalka@hotmail.com | AuthorDormont Council woman Laurie Malka put out this email to get responses from residents of the school district about how they felt about a proposed skate park in Dormont. With her permission I wanted to pass this around to EVERYONE.. ArchivesCategories |
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