Dan Overfield voiced his support for the skate park at the council meeting with daughters Simona (left) and Lia.
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Local residents took turns standing and voicing their support for the proposed Bay Skate & Bike Park in a standing-room-only council meeting on Jan. 25. Lawrence Kuh, spokesperson for the Bay Skate & Bike Park Foundation, told council members, "This is our sixth year. It's time to build or time to walk away. I hope this decision will be made in the first quarter." Council President Brian Cruse responded that, as he sees it, the project has three options: One, build the park next to the police station; two, build the park at Bradley Park; or three, consider other alternatives.

Even though the assembled crowd and many council members preferred the police station location because of its central location in the city, it would require an additional $12,800 to conform to EPA regulations. Because the police station location is adjacent to a landfill, the site would require testing, according to the EPA requirements.

Mayor Sutherland stated that she was "worried about the landfill, having gone through this once already," referring to earlier testing done at a potential skate park location.

Council discussed the options and ramifications of the possible locations and all members agreed that the skate park should be built at Bradley Park. The next step is a public meeting to allow residents to ask questions and state their concerns.
Councilman Jim Scott, chairman of the Recreation and Parks committee, will schedule a public meeting in the near future to gauge public opinion.

For more information visit the Bay Skate & Bike park Foundation's web site at: http://bsbp.org/