Skate Park Has Reopened With Some Surveillance, Guidelines

After being shut down temporarily two weeks ago, the skate park at the Galloway Township Municipal Complex behind Imagination Station has reopened, only now under surveillance from the township and the

"If there are five incidents, lock it back up," Galloway Township Manager Arch Liston said at Tuesday night's council meeting.

The skate park was shut down two weeks ago because of continued disregard for the rules, an issue that is to the township. Sice the skate park opened in 2004, those using it have refused to wear helmets, destroyed township property with their bikes and skateboards, and have presented a problem for a shrinking police department.

According to Chief Patrick Moran, dealing with a teenager who refuses to follow the rules can take roughly an hour and 15 minutes, including taking the time to find out who the violator is, contacting the violator's parents, getting the parents to pick them up and filling out a report.

"That can be seven percent of our time if there are five violations," Moran said. "We're busier now than we have been in years, and our staffing is down. We don't have time to deal with the skate park."

He also said no one wants to see anyone get hurt.

The skate park could suffer a more serious fate, as Liston presented three options to council Tuesday night, including shutting down the park and using it for something else; getting a group of volunteers from the township to supervise the skaters and bikers; or confiscating bikes and skateboards and processing them as evidence. This would include charging a processing fee for those hoping to get their equipment back.

Liston said the volunteers could receive the same training Class 1 and Class 2 police officers receive.

"They'd be like voluntary park rangers," Liston said. "Their presence could solve the problem, but the problem is finding parents to spend the time to do this."

"The kids need a place to go," Mayor Don Purdy said. "I don't think a watch group will work. Parents are busy, and the ones we do find to volunteer would be trashed and abused by the kids. If they do it to police officers, they're going to do it to volunteers.

"I'm all for taking their equipment. They can tell mom and dad why they lost it, and that they have to pay to get it back."

He also said those who use the park must understand the township is not taking the problem lightly.

"The township could always make it into another community garden," Purdy said.

Councilman Brian Tyrrell supported escalating fines for processing the equipment, suggesting that the first fine might be $75 and the second could be $150, for example.

"We could require them to show receipts after the first time showing that they purchased helmets," Tyrrell added.

Purdy said he wouldn't want to see the good kids lose the skate park altogether because of a few bad kids. Councilman Tom Bassford said he believes those who break the rules are in the majority.

"Unfortunately, it's rare to see a kid wearing a helmet," Bassford said. "I'd hate to see it closed down."

Moran said he agreed with the reasons behind the park's opening, but said since then, it's been difficult to maintain the rules.

"We get back-talking, we get some gestures," Moran said. "We tell them to stop doing something, then you leave and go around the block and see them doing the same thing they were doing before the officer spoke to them."

Ultimately, council and Moran agreed that the park should be reopened and monitored. However, they don't believe a group of volunteers should be asked to "babysit" the kids.

"We'll open it up and if there are five incidents (total), we'll close it back down," Liston said."(Moran) can drive by three times and I'll drive by twice, and we'll see what happens."