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| slob-air |
 Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:06 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 27 Oct 2001
Posts: 63453
Location: S&B HQ
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All too true. Plenty of basketball, baseball, football, soccer fields and tennis courts�and all of them produce more injuries per capita.
I recently got in a fight with my city who has a allowed some crazy old fucker to set up at tent at the skatepark and live there. They'd never allow him to do that at a basketball, baseball, football, soccer fields and tennis courts. Hell, they won't even let skaters do that.
The hypocrisy of city bureaucracies is astounding. |
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| gamby |
| Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:12 pm |
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Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 4925
Location: No Prov RI
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slob-air wrote:
I recently got in a fight with my city who has a allowed some crazy old fucker to set up at tent at the skatepark and live there. They'd never allow him to do that at a basketball, baseball, football, soccer fields and tennis courts. Hell, they won't even let skaters do that.
That's fucking infuriating.
The thought of that happening on a basketball court, etc... is downright laughable. Why is it so acceptable for it to happen in a skatepark??? 
IT's like we're upon the next great era of skateparks and they'll all close down in 5 years for one reason or another...  |
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| Christopher |
| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:03 pm |
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Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 34
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slob-air wrote: I recently got in a fight with my city who has a allowed some crazy old fucker to set up at tent at the skatepark and live there. They'd never allow him to do that at a basketball, baseball, football, soccer fields and tennis courts. Hell, they won't even let skaters do that.
HAHAHAHAHA. Imagine that type of shit going down on a playground.
Homeless guy----$0 forever
Skaters------------$8 for a couple of hours |
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| Luke |
| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:25 pm |
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Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 126
Location: Connecticut (203)
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I still haven't skated this place yet.
If there was no charge, and no pads involved, I'd be happy to make a trip down to Milford and skate this place. The park isn't bad, probably better than 70% of Connecticut's skateparks, Maybe. It really doesn't matter though. The official opening of the BEST skatepark in CT is coming soon. And, it was built by the famous East Coast Grindline crew. SF! |
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| slob-air |
| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:54 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 27 Oct 2001
Posts: 63453
Location: S&B HQ
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gamby wrote: slob-air wrote:
I recently got in a fight with my city who has a allowed some crazy old fucker to set up at tent at the skatepark and live there. They'd never allow him to do that at a basketball, baseball, football, soccer fields and tennis courts. Hell, they won't even let skaters do that.
That's fucking infuriating.
The thought of that happening on a basketball court, etc... is downright laughable. Why is it so acceptable for it to happen in a skatepark???
IT's like we're upon the next great era of skateparks and they'll all close down in 5 years for one reason or another...
Even more fucked is if some out-of-town skaters set up tents, the cops would likely roll in and move them out. The war continues. |
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| BillyBonebrake |
| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:01 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 7513
Location: The Institute
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Hey I made the cover of the local paper this week. This was my last-ditch effort, though. Here's the online version:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?ne...=432990&rfi=6
There isn't much graffiti at the Milford skatepark, but there is a little. In small, dark ink on the side of a concrete bowl it says, "Free the Milford Skatepark."
The slogan represents the efforts of resident Bill Helene, who was instrumental in getting the city to build the $45,000 skatepark at Washington Field three years ago.
Today Helene says the park is underused because of the fee to skate there, safety gear requirements and hours of operation.
"Not until the day it opened three 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," said Helene, one of Milford's premiere adult skaters.
He also is northeast regional director of a group called Skaters for Public Skateparks.
He wants skaters to be able to use the park free, and he wants it to be unstaffed.
The Park and Recreation Department oversees the skatepark, but it has a contract with the Woodruff Family YMCA to operate it.
The YMCA sets the hours and fees, which they say help pay for insurance and personnel.
The cost to use the park is $3 a day for YMCA members; $5 for non-members and $8 for non-residents.
Seasonal passes also can be purchased. They are $100 for YMCA members; $168 for non-members, and $216 for non-residents.
Nicole Servas, who manages the park for the YMCA, said costs haven't risen since the park opened.
"If a kid comes to the park and just has a buck, we let them skate anyway," she said.
After a few times, the youth is referred to the YMCA scholarship program, which Servas said is based on income and family situation.
"For the YMCA to run the park, this is the way it would have to be run," she added. "It has to be staffed."
Liability's the issue
When the city decided to build the park more than three years ago, liability was the Board of Aldermen's biggest concern.
That was the primary reason for the arrangement with the YMCA: the YMCA offered liability insurance.
But Helene argues that skateboarders aren't any more likely to get hurt than youngsters playing other sports. He also argues that skateboarders are much safer in the park than they are in the streets.
"Sadly, it is on our nation's streets where, over the past 12 months, 52 of the 54 deaths associated with skateboarding have occurred," Helene said. "Of those fatalities, the vast majority involved skateboarders and motor vehicles."
Park and Recreation Director Bill McCarthy said he believes what Helene is telling him and said he depends on Helene for statistics and information about skateparks.
But, McCarthy suggested that the city would be back to square one regarding liability discussions if the YMCA was not involved in the program.
"I think the city is comfortable with the arrangement [with the YMCA] even though the park is not getting used," McCarthy said.
Of course, there are people who use the park, just not a lot, several skaters said last week.
John Ruhnke, 42, said when he learned he had disabetes several years ago, he decided to take up skateboarding to get the exercise doctors told him he needed.
"For me the cost isn't a problem," Ruhnke said. "But for a kid who is 15, I think it is."
A person has to skate regularly to be good enough to use a skatepark like Milford's, Ruhnke said. And to skate regularly will cost too much money here, he added.
"When you charge admission, you're forcing [kids] to come sporadically," Ruhnke said.
He and Helene said a well-used park might see 20 skaters a day, whereas Milford is lucky if it gets five.
Helene believes there's a bit of skateboard prejudice at work in Milford; people here think skateboarders will cause vandalism, he said, arguing that theory.
Park and Recreation Commission Chairman Daniel Worroll said he doesn't think there's any prejudice involved and believes his board will continue to discuss options for the park.
"I think the skatepark is excellent," Worroll said, "But for some the price is prohibitive."
�Milford Mirror 2007
How 'bout that ... one of "Milford's premier adult skaters". More like Milford's only adult skater. But I'll take it. Also the park cost $95K, not $45K.
Next week's headline: Local skaters face jail time for falsified YMCA Skatepark means-testing applications. |
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| Bill Ry |
| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:46 pm |
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Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 781
Location: All Over, CT
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| Congrats Bill. Keep the torch lit. |
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| BillyBonebrake |
| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:32 am |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 7513
Location: The Institute
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Front page news. I lost my board in the water a few runs later. |
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| skateight |
| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:44 am |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Posts: 2857
Location: Earth
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Be a shame if it closed.
Other than that, it sounds great. I wear safety gear anyway = no problem, and I'd gladly pay those fees to ride a decent crete park.
And if it keeps the grom population down, extra added bonus!
I know a lot of people don't want to wear safety gear, but it should be required. Hell most places have bike helmet laws. |
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| j e f f |
| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:43 am |
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Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 4923
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I hope the skating population of CT really appreciates the efforts you've put forth. Do the skaters that are half your age put in as much work as you do? How about the parents?
Nice cover shot! |
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