Skate park fence:
”
I drive by the skate park at Las Animas Park everyday and I have
a question that has been on my mind for quite awhile.
Skate park fence: “I drive by the skate park at Las Animas Park everyday and I have a question that has been on my mind for quite awhile. With the GPD’s policy of not enforcing the rules, which I agree with, they have better things to do, why was there a need to install a fence around it?”
The Red Phone contacted Capt. Debbie Moore with the Gilroy Police Department to get the skating scoop. She said that the skate park rules are indeed enforced, but it’s up to the officer to decide the punishment.
“These are municipal code violations and they are in place for the officers discretion to either issue a citation or a warning,” Moore said. “We respond to the skate park based on a complaint of violations of kids not using safety helmets and the various safety equipment that’s needed. We also encourage our officers on routine patrol to patrol through the skate park and if they see violators to make contact with them.”
According to Moore, the skate park was opened in August of 1999 and at that time there was not fencing around it. She said that the police department encountered numerous public safety calls due to the volume of people at the park who were in violation of the rules and regulations. Another problem area, Moore said, was people using the skate park even after the park was “technically closed.”
“We were getting noise complaints by the various neighbors who live near the skate park,” she said. “We also had a high volume of vandalism and graffiti to the skate park … and there was damage due by bicyclists.”
In order to alleviate the problems, Moore said, “The recommendation came through to encourage the city to consider putting a fence around the park … and also to allow the opportunity so that if kids were in violation of safety equipment, it was a lot easier to contain the kids because they were in a closed, fenced in area versus when a patrol car would come in they would basically just run or skate away.”
Moore added that the police department has been creative in how they’ve handled these violations.
“We actually work though the juvenile probation department,” she said. “What they worked out with us is that when kids were cited and have to appear with their parent or guardian, the commissioner will work with the parent to ensure appropriate safety equipment is purchased for the child. And if there are repeat violations, there are times when we actually seize skateboards … we’ve also seized bicycles and issued citations. So we’ve done a lot of creative things to try to get the word out.”
rubberized asphalt: “Has there been any consideration of putting down rubberized asphalt? Arizona has been putting it down and the noise level dropped like 50 percent. It is nice to drive on it. The only limit is the restriction of temperature for laying it down. It is a great way of recycling old tires.”
The Red Phone mentioned your suggestion to Don Dey, traffic engineer for Gilroy. According to Dey, the city has never used rubberized asphalt and has no plans to do such.
“On large state projects I understand that can be very good and is actually cost effective,” Dey said. “On small city projects it’s actually more costly and there are a number of technical issues concerning the use of that that causes problems. … It is more expensive on a small project and the normal asphalt is the least expensive way to go.”
Readers: Know of a situation with a streetlight? Problems with potholes? Or perhaps you’re feeling Grinchly and want to complain about a neighbor’s over-the-top decorating. Though the Red Phone doesn’t think decorations can be, it’s here to listen to your troubles (but encourages happy thoughts), so give it a call at 842-9070 or send an e-mail to
re******@gi************.com
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