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Milford in jeopardy

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BillyBonebrake
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:11 am Reply with quote
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If the woman from the YMCA were being honest she'd have said "Its definitely under-utilized. I didn't sell a single season pass this year." But she lies to keep her cherished program roster intact.

The battle is just beginning.

Teen indifference kills Milford camp
Washington Field skate park in danger

BILL McDONALD [email protected]
Connecticut Post Online
Article Last Updated:06/06/2007 10:55:43 PM EDT

MILFORD � It sounded cool on paper: a city-sponsored camp for teens with trips to the movies, Lake Compounce and a Mets game.
It was anything but for teens, whose indifference prompted recreation officials to cancel the camp for the third straight summer.

Similarly, the much-ballyhooed skate park at Washington Field may suffer the same fate because of a lack of interest. Nobody can look cool, kids say, in kneepads and helmets.

"We've offered a teen camp, but not enough people signed up by the June 1 deadline," said Recreation Director William McCarthy. "We can't get this off the ground, though we've tried for three years. It's almost like we're not cool enough."

Both the camp and the skate park were up for discussion as the city's Park, Beach and Recreation Commission met Wednesday night at the Parsons Government Center.

McCarthy noted a confusing situation has turned up at the three-year-old skateboard park at Washington Field along Route 1.

"It's like a Catch-22," McCarthy said. "The YMCA has agreed to staff the park, but hardly anyone is using it. It seems kids can't afford the fees."

The commission has been thinking of ways to make the summer camp more attractive to teens, but so far its efforts have been unsuccessful.

Camp activities were to include a day at the beach, lunch and a movie at the mall and a bus trip to a Mets game. One possibility to make the camp more appealing is to reduce the age range from 13-16 to 12-15, McCarthy said.

William Helene, an adult skateboarder, expressed his frustration Wednesday over the lack of use at the city's skateboard park.

"It's a shame," he said. "I worked hard to get the place built. But no one ever uses it. It's a shame the way it's being managed. It should be free like a basketball court or baseball field.

"Go to West Haven or Wethersfield and see 20 to 30 kids using their free skate parks on a typical weekday afternoon," he said. "I've done Internet searches going back two years and have never seen a town get sued due to a skateboard injury.

"A lot of towns put a skateboard park under one insurance policy and hope for the best," Helene said. "It's certainly safer than hockey, basketball and baseball."

Nicole Servas, Woodruff Family YMCA youth director who oversees the skateboard park at Washington Field, said she was not aware of low attendance there.

"It could have to do with the weather," she said. "Sometimes if it's too cool or over 80 degrees, we may not get so many people."

A trip to the skate park Wednesday afternoon showed two adults riding BMX bikes on the ramps and through its half-pipe bowl.

The posted fees are $8 for nonresidents, $5 for residents and $3 for YMCA members.


"Charging $8 is steep, not that I'm loaded, but you do what you got to do to ride," said Jeff Allen, 33, of Stratford. "They used to have a skate park in Stratford, but it didn't work out. So I come here. This is a nice park, hand built, better than the prefab parks."

The other rider, Ryan Barnes, 19, of West Haven, also objected to the price.

"The $8 fee is really steep," he said. "A lot of younger kids who want to come here can't afford that. I live in West Haven and helped start that park. It's popular because it's free. You can get 50 to 60 kids on a nice day."

The two YMCA attendants working at the park believed the requirement to wear padding, not the fees, caused low attendance.

"It's not the fees. It's the pads. They're uncomfortable," said Bobby Murphy, 16, a Law junior and an avid skateboarder.

Austin Peterman, 18, agreed, noting he doesn't like wearing pads.

Asked about a bruise on his elbow, Peterman said that came from a skateboarding fall on a street last week.

"It's more fun on the street," he said. "You're free to do whatever you want. You're not constricted by one area."

Asked if they knew about the summer Teen Camp the city has been trying to promote, neither was aware of it.

"It sounds boring," Murphy said of the proposed beach and baseball trips. "Once you get your driver's license, you're not restricted to those kind of trips. You can go wherever you want."

Bill McDonald, who covers Milford, can be reached at 878-2130.

http://www.connpost.com/milford/ci_6078603
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Bill Ry
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:23 am Reply with quote
Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 781 Location: All Over, CT
Does the Park and Rec department have downs syndrome? Just make the park free. They don't get it yet. That park would never be "in danger" if it was free. It would be one of the most used parks in the state. It's so much fun. What a shame.

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jraboin
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:39 am Reply with quote
Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 171 Location: shelton
Another example of how our town officals have no business sense.

Why would I go to Milford can pay and wear pads when I can go to Academy or Gaps and not wear them.

Or I can just drive to a free outdoor park

Or skate the streets

Five bucks Helment only might work for me but free Helmet only would be better.

Free no rule I guess is impossible in Milford but that would be ideal.

Tell them to pick you a magazine once in a while.

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space
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:33 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 467 Location: CT
I really like this park. I hope it survives in some form, ideally as an at-your-own-risk and anytime sort of arrangement.

As a parent, I can understand a helmet requirement, but at the end of the day, parents should be responsible for their own kids, and adults should be responsible for themselves.

Of course, we all know that some people can't handle such responsibility. The fear of litigation should be removed from the equation by proper legislation. Basically CT needs an equivalent to the "skateboarding is a hazardous activity" ruling in CA from the mid 90s that provided liability immunity to towns, which in turn gave them the freedom to build skate parks for the communities without the spector of litigation hanging over them. This topic has been treated elsewhere in more detail, and in fact, BBB has written letters to the state of CT on this matter too. Don't underestimate how much he does!

I really hope that the town of Milford and the YMCA do the right thing.

Okay, rant over.
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BillyBonebrake
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:12 am Reply with quote
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I sent this letter to the Milford Mirror which is the local weekly paper. After 2 weeks it seems they won't run it. The CT Post reporter was shown the letter by our Rec Director and told me I should have sent it to them. Anyway it was my last ditch attempt to shame the city into opening the park:

Free the Milford Skatepark!

It�s time for the City of Milford to re-assess the implementation of the skatepark at Washington Field. I say this out of concern that our skatepark�s minimal usage may prompt city leaders to declare it a bust and close it. Yet it�s not the nature of the skatepark itself that makes it unpopular, but rather its implementation.

Not until the day it opened 3 years ago did local skaters discover their new skatepark came with limited hours of operation, a seasonal schedule, excessive rules, and usage fees typically beyond the daily means of a 15 year old. Until then, most of the details had been kept under tight wraps by the city and the YMCA. Many parents and kids left that day disappointed, realizing it was going to cost them at between $5 and $8 per visit, depending on residency status. So now it is usually empty, save for the YMCA staff brought in to insulate the city from a perceived risk of lawsuits.

Since then I have found no evidence that a skatepark presents undue risk any more than a playground or a basketball court. Specifically, I�m speaking about the fact that skateboarding is statistically safer than many sports we�ve embraced for generations, including baseball, basketball, cheerleading and tennis. I�m also speaking about the fact that there have been no valid claims against any public skatepark in the state of Connecticut. For the past 2 years I have run a Google alert for �skatepark+lawsuit� (and various other similar combinations) and have yet to receive a single relevant hit. When the town of New Milford researched the potential liability for their skatepark they checked with their insurer, the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency, and learned that a skatepark would not increase their insurance premium. There are hundreds of skateparks operating on a free, at-your-own-risk basis both in Connecticut and across the nation. West Haven�s skatepark is free, as are the facilities in Cheshire, New Haven, Groton, Wethersfield, New Britain, Newington, New Milford, Clinton � the list goes on. The latest is a 12,000 square foot concrete facility Stamford will be unveiling in two weeks. As an active participant on the Stamford skatepark committee for the past 2 years I have watched that city go through a serious and detailed examination of potential risks associated with a skatepark. Stamford�s risk manager surveyed every skatepark in the state for claims. Their city attorneys looked for cases that might impact possible liability. And like so many other communities, Stamford concluded that the best way to provide a skatepark was as a free, at-your-own-risk facility. This same process was also undertaken by Wethersfield. And Wethersfield�s skatepark, built in a similar style and size by the same builder as Milford�s, has been teeming with skateboarders since the day it opened two years ago. In both Groton and Cheshire, their skateparks began as �pay to skate� facilities with rules and schedules much like Milford�s. However in both cases these communities re-examined their policy and now operate on an at-your-own-risk basis.

What have these communities recognized that Milford missed?

That, yes, skateboarding can be dangerous. And as with any form of recreation there are risks. But the downside of providing a skatepark with restrictions leaves many skaters on the street where no such restrictions exist. Sadly, it is on our nation�s streets where over the past 12 months 52 of the 54 deaths associated with skateboarding have occurred. Of those fatalities, the vast majority involved skateboarders and motor vehicles. Skateboarders are far safer in skateparks, with or without rules and fees. What these communities also believe is that making any recreational facility fully accessible pays social and health dividends for the community at large. Skateboarding is vigorous exercise, doubling a person�s heart rate within a few minutes of participation. Skateboarding is also a creative activity, and includes the social component of being at the skatepark with like-minded people of all ages. In Groton, which has been operating longer than any other public skatepark in the state, local skaters periodically donate labor and materials paid for with fundraising, expanding into the state�s largest and most popular skatepark. There is no incentive for Milford�s youth to get involved in such civic exercises around their skatepark. It would be like a local merchant asking customers to chip in on their new storefront.

Some may worry that Milford�s skatepark might become a �hang out�. But most that go to a challenging skatepark like ours� are not inclined to linger too long if they don�t skate. It eventually leads to �poser� status, something a young person is usually eager to avoid. The primary hang out in Milford is a mall where risks run the gamut of fatty food to food court-clearing brawls. Furthermore, Milford�s skatepark is in a high-visibility location that affords passive policing. It is within a mile of police headquarters. And for less than $1,000 it could be outfitted with surveillance cameras or web-cams. Washington Field is also easily locked and unlocked to prevent access after hours.

Over the past year I have met with the Mayor, the Recreation Director and the Parks and Beaches commission to make my case to "free the Milford skatepark". I was given conditional permission by the Parks and Beaches Commission to advance my proposal to the Board of Aldermen. But that condition was that I work with the Recreation Director in researching insurance quotes for our skatepark. As that work progressed, however, our Recreation Director was told by the Finance Director that this was "not his job" and to discontinue the effort.

I have been a dedicated advocate and promoter of Milford�s skatepark: Running contests, volunteering lessons, and encouraging the facility�s use despite the restrictions. I asked that the YMCA allow a key holder system for adult skaters who may want to use the park during morning and other �off hours�. I was turned down. I asked that the "full pad" rule be waived for skaters over the age of 18, with the only mandatory requirement for adults being a helmet. I was denied again. Bored with regularly skating alone, I was quoted in the Connecticut Post last year chiding local skaters to give up their boycott. But it is unrealistic. Resentment towards the skatepark was fostered on opening day and has been solidified by the inflexibility of current policy. As it stands now, the 1 in 6 kids in Milford that are skateboarders are being marginalized. Theirs is the only recreational outlet in town that is locked behind a ten foot fence most of the time. They pay to skate but can play basketball at Fowler Field for free. So Milford�s skaters have voted with their wheels and choose to skate elsewhere.

I recently shared my experience with a friend from Pennsylvania. Like many adult skaters in the region, he�s been to Milford to ride our skatepark. And like everyone who skates it for the first time, he loved it. But his response to my email was ominous: "Milford ... reeks of intentionally being managed ... to fail � �See, I told you this was a waste of money�." I do not yet share his cynicism. But until Milford re-examines this situation and provides some due diligence in this regard, I find myself going in that direction.
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j e f f
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:57 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 4923
Nice work. That letter is well thought out and should certainly have some impact.
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Rob_B
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:44 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 2250 Location: Florida
I don't know jack about what the weather is like up there in the summer but...

Quote:
"It could have to do with the weather," she said. "Sometimes if it's too cool or over 80 degrees, we may not get so many people."


I'd love to have a place to skate in the summer that was too cool or over 80 degrees. Over 80 degrees in Florida during the summer usually means temperatures in the 90s with the heat index going over 100.

As far as the pads items go....

When we first started skating parks in Florida in the late 80s we always had to wear pads, when I hit parks in the 90s we still had to wear pads; had to wear pads at Badlands in the mid-90s too. When we took a trip to the Vans park in 2004 I donned full pads and was comfortable. As soon as I learned that 18+ only had to wear a helmet I was a happy camper.

I wasn't happy at the fact that I had to wear pads at the YMCA park in West Palm Beach a few weeks back; as a matter of fact as soon as the park attendant took off I helped myself out of my elbow pads (he didn't say anything about knees) and kept my helmet.

The park in Abacoa (Jupiter) only requires a helmet for the 18+ crowd; the little guys are supposed to wear pads but most of the time you only see them in helmets.

I could go on and on with park and pad experiences, but the bottom line is that it is pretty damned uncomfortable to wear knee pads on top of jeans and pants. I wear shorts most of the time, but the majority of the groms and younger cats don't especially like wearing them.

The park needs to step up and realign their regulations for the 18+ crowd; better yet they should look at their waviers and see what can be done for the younger folks with a helmet as a bare minimum.

Complaining about 80 degree temps? Please.

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slob-air
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:13 pm Reply with quote
Site Admin Joined: 27 Oct 2001 Posts: 63453 Location: S&B HQ
Billy - You may want to stir the patriotic by adding this paragraph:

While the US is the bastion of freedoms, apparently that doesn't apply to skateboarders. Milford skaters suffer while the floppy headed Canadians are handed one enormouse skatepark after the other, no pad or helmet rules, no charge, open 24x7 and with lights. One park even has a built in beer cooler! Has Milford somehow become the third world?



Good luck with you battle, Billy.

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Bill Ry
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 8:50 am Reply with quote
Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 781 Location: All Over, CT
Again, Bill, great letter.
I really hope something gets through soon.
Helene in 08!

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BillyBonebrake
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:51 pm Reply with quote
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What it boils down to is pettiness on the part of city folks. They will accept liability associated with every recreational resource imaginable, except skateboarding.
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