Village Skate Park issue rekindles as summer nears

Ortonville- A Village Skate Park committee formed last summer has been disbanded without resolving park issues, and a new committee has been proposed to come up with a final solution.
During their March 24 meeting, the village council voted 5-2 to approach the Brandon Township board about having some boardmembers join a committee that also consists of councilmembers Mary Kassuba, Kay Green and Aileen Champion.
The decision followed a motion by Councilmember Harold Batten, seconded by Kay Green, to permanently close the Skate Park and request the removal by the township of the equipment they own. The motion failed 5-2.
‘I’m disappointed, disillusioned and very, very angry,? said one park neighbor who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. ‘It’s been seven years. Put the dog to bed… I want to see it gone. It should never have been put there. They (the councilmembers) aren’t there when the kids are in your carport, throwing knives at your house, making dents in your siding, egging your home and peeing in your yard. The language is unbelievable… It’s not just a few kids, it’s constant. It should be put in a place where they can do their thing and not bother others.? Brandon Parks and Recreation Director Fred Waybrant said the park was designed with recommendations in 2000.
‘The people we brought in thought it was perfect because of the proximity to the schools,? he said. ‘The kids of Ortonville had nowhere to skateboard or bike and that is what started the idea.?
The Skate Park opened in 2002 at the corner of Ball and Cedar streets, adjacent to ball fields at the Sherman Village Park, but also in close proximity to several homes. The park is valued at $130,000, most of which was raised through donations, and built with the help of volunteers.
‘We will approach the township board and ask for their input and recommendation regarding what direction to take with the Skate Park,? said Kassuba after the meeting. ‘Honestly, I don’t know what to do. It’s a no-win situation as far as I’m concerned. I would like to see the park stay open where it is. I think if we close the park, the kids will be right back down on the streets in front of the businesses, on their skateboards. That’s the reason we opened the park to begin with. Since it’s been open, we haven’t had complaints about kids on the sidewalks. We had a lot of complaints before.?
Complaints from neighbors prompted the closing of the park for a brief stint in 2006, and the park was closed again last summer, reopening only with volunteers and causing weekly skate park committee meetings. The committee’s final recommendation last year was to install a concrete wall, higher fencing, and security lights, but those ideas were recently nixed. Instead, the suggestion has been made the park be moved to the new township park that will open in May at Oakwood and Hadley roads.
‘After all the proposals, we’re back to ground zero,? said village resident Glennis Hubbard, commenting before the votes were taken. ‘There are no solutions to stop the problems… The village council is not responsible for entertaining kids. The kids can go to the township park and tickets can be given to kids on the sidewalks, the visibility is better in the downtown.?
Robert Flath, co-owner of The Village Photographer, located downtown, had a differing view.
‘As a business owner, I would like to see the Skate Park stay open,? he said. ‘When it was closed last year, the kids were in the parking lots. The township should have a say.?
Council President Ken Quisenberry, who, along with Batten voted no to forming another committee to examine the issue, said the township was well aware of the problems.
‘They believe it is the village’s problem to deal with,? he said. ‘Ownership can be debated all day long. They certainly have a stake in it. The community has a stake in how it does or doesn’t function. I don’t think we can punt. It’s our park.?
Township Supervisor Ron Lapp said that while the village owns the Skate Park property, the township is willing to sit down and discuss issues regarding it, and if the board is approached to sit on a committee they will entertain the idea.
‘Moving the equipment out to the township park is an option, certainly,? he said. ‘It’s their property and if they want to remove it, that’s their perogative. To move the equipment, we could do that inexpensively and could store it until we’re ready to build a skate park. The board could be against it, with considerations to put it somewhere to where the kids could walk. It appears that what I thought was a good idea, turned out not to be… I’m disappointed that a few young people don’t understand it’s a privilege to have that. We don’t have an obligation to have the park, and I wish they were more respectful of the people who live around there.?
Waybrant said it could cost anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 to rebuild the Skate Park at the township park, including a new slab, fencing, and certified installer for the existing equipment. He noted the Skate Park is not in his 5-year recreation plan and other items for the community park, including playground equipment, needs to be installed first.
‘I hope they decide something shortly,? he said. ‘The only winning way is to open the skate park and get someone there to supervise, the way I see it now. If they pull (the skate park equipment) out, I will suggest it become shuffleboard courts. It won’t sit vacant, at least I hope not.?
Quisenberry said the village will be on track to open the Skate Park based on weather.
‘It will be ready to open when we deem it ready,? he said.

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