Schipske District 5 Journal.com

Former 7^th District Councilmember Mike Donelon’s letter to the editor on Sunday on the recommendations of the 5^th District Youth Council concerning the El Dorado Skate Park is misleading and does a great injustice to the boys and girls who spent time conducting a public hearing on the issues that were raised about the skate park and developing recommendations based upon the testimony given at the public hearing. Let’s set the record straight. The El Dorado Skate Park is located in the 5^th Council District and the hearing was about issues brought to my attention. Residents of the 5^th Council District have expressed concern about some of the conduct that takes place at the skate park, including the fact that some users do not wear the mandated helmets and padding when they skate. I have also received complaints about the interactions between some of the skate boarders and kids playing baseball and softball on the adjacent ball diamonds. (Just last week I had a large marijuana leaf painting removed from one of the skate park ramps because of a complaint from a parent using the park with their children.) Following an incident of an awning being burned at the skate park, (which I actually learned about at a meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Marine Commission), I asked the members of the 5^th District Youth Council if they would hold a public hearing so that residents and users of the skate park could come and speak about the issues at the skate park. Not only did these young people take time to be trained by Dr. Lydia Hollie, head of the City’s Human Relation’s Commission, on how to conduct a public hearing in a respectful and inclusive manner, but they distributed hundreds of flyers around the skate park encouraging skaters to attend the hearing. Press releases were sent to the news media. Mr. Donelon was faxed a copy of the flyer. My office learned from Mr. Donelon that he was concerned that the “good kids” on the 5^th District Youth Council would be deciding what the “at risk kids” who use the park should be doing. The 5^th District Youth Council conducted the hearing (which was taped and aired on Heart of the City which is the City’s local cable program) and heard testimony not only from Mr. Donelon and a group of skate boarders he brought to the hearing but also from parents; other skaters;  a recreation specialist from the City of Irvine that has a skate park and utilizes recreational leaders to engage skate boarders in activities; Phil Hester, the Director of Parks, Recreation and Marine; Harry Salzgaver, President of the Parks and Recreation Commission; a representative from the Park Rangers; a representative of Van’s Skate Park, who offered at the hearing to donate 50 helmets and padding so that skaters would have the equipment the City requires they wear at the skate park; and John Canalis of the Press Telegram. 

What did the 5^th District Youth Council hear at the public hearing? They heard mostly from the users of the skate park. Skateboarders complained about the design and maintenance of the skate park and the fact that they were being made “criminals” for not wearing helmets and padding. (Check out how skateboarders rate El Dorado on the website called “Concrete Disciples”  http://concretedisciples.com/skateparksdb/display_state.php?state=CA-S.)  

Why don’t they wear helmets and padding? First, a great many of the skate boarders come by bus from other parts of the city to use the skate park and do not have helmets and padding. Secondly, the helmets and padding are cumbersome and actually make skateboarding difficult. Thirdly, skateboarders know the risk associated with this activity and to date, not one public skate park has been sued for any injuries sustained. They also heard that other cities have skate parks and utilize recreational leaders to engage the kids who use the skate park by holding scheduled activities. Parents of smaller children expressed concern about bringing younger kids to the skate park when older youth are using the skate park. Everyone agreed that the signage around the skate park needs to be improved. Skateboarders all said they want to have more say about happens at the skate park. Mr. Donelon reminded everyone of his interest in skate boarding and introduced several of his supporters who as youths were involved when the skate park was first developed at El Dorado and who still skate board at El Dorado now that they are in their 20’s and 30’s. Because the Park Rangers did not bring data at the public hearing concerning “calls for service” related to the El Dorado Skate Park, I asked for a report which was provided to my office. The report confirms what the skate boarders testified: the majority of the interactions between the Park Rangers and skateboarders has been over the issue of helmets and padding. When the Rangers see the skateboarders not wearing the equipment, they give them a ticket. We are criminalizing skate boarding by citing kids and adults who do not wear helmets and padding and when they cannot pay the fine (which most cannot) these skateboarders get into more legal trouble.  

Following the public hearing, the 5^th District Youth Council held its regular, public meeting to discuss recommendations on improving conditions at the skate park. Out of professional courtesy (from one “politician to another”), Mr. Donelon was sent a copy of the recommendations in advance of them being sent to City Council. No where in these recommendations did anyone call for the closing of the skate park or for “supervising” the skate boarders. What was recommended is that if we believe that many of the users of this skate park are “at risk youth” (as Mr. Donelon calls them), then we should take that opportunity to positively engage them with appropriate role models such as recreation leaders. It was also recommended that we “de-criminalize” skate boarding by not ticketing those who do not wear helmets and padding but utilize recreation leaders to encourage safe behavior. These recreation leaders could also check in and out the donated helmets and padding that was given by Van’s as a result of the public hearing held by the 5^th District Youth Council. The members of the 5^th District Youth Council should be commended for learning and actively participating in this process and for giving a voice to those who use the El Dorado Skate Park.