Ortonville- After two weeks of being closed due to complaints about misbehaving kids, the Village Skate Park is open again.
For now.
The village council voted unanimously to open the park for a two-week trial period at the July 10 council meeting, with a new closing time of 8 p.m. Whether the park stays open remains to be seen.
‘I’d like to open it under the condition the rules are followed,? said councilmember Marcy Hanes at the meeting. ‘Supervision is planned, with strolls around the park. The kids need a place to skate. If (the problems) start over again, it will be closed.?
The council plans to revisit the issue at their next meeting, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., July 24.
The council originally voted 5-0 to close the park at their June 26 meeting, after several neighbors complained of profanity, noise, drug and alcohol use and more by kids at the park.
More neighbors were present at the July 10 meeting, along with parents of skaters and a skate instructor.
‘A lot of people drop their kids off and keep going,? said one neighbor of the park located at Cedar and Ball streets. ‘It’s out of control. It’s more of a nuisance and aggravation than anything else.?
Another neighbor, who later declined to be identified, said she is stuck with garbage, bad language, pot smoking, and bass music. She says she has experienced