The Times West Virginian

Local News

January 7, 2009

Mannington council considers skate park

Mayor taking action against skaters who are damaging property

By Mallory Panuska

MANNINGTON — With young skateboarders becoming a nuisance all over the city, Mannington council members are kicking around the idea of constructing an area skate park.

Several citizens voiced concerns at a council meeting this week about damage and destruction local skateboarders have caused to pieces of city and private property.

One woman said an expensive memorial she and her family had placed for her brother in the city’s downtown area now has some bad cracks in it, and Mannington Main Street director Jim Taylor said some benches near the IGA grocery store have incurred some damages as well from these activities.

Taylor said he has witnessed youths skating on the benches and damaging them, and has asked them to stop. However, without a designated place to skate, it is tough to ensure that these individuals will not stay off other properties, council members said.

“The problem is that there is nothing in this town for kids to do,” Councilman Terry Starsick said. “We need something in this town for the youths.”

Councilman Bob Garcia said the city was looking into constructing a skate park in the city’s Jericho Addition a couple of years ago, but that the project was halted when officials were unable to obtain insurance quotes.

Mayor Frank White said that this idea should be looked at again today, and council members agreed to spearhead some discussions on it.

“Insurance was the issue before, and we are going to look into why it dropped off and maybe kick back into it,” White said.

The county recently finished a skate park on Fairmont’s East Side, and White also suggested contacting county officials to find out how they handled the insurance and other details to get it done.

In the meantime, White said he will be taking action against the young skaters who are damaging public property by confiscating their boards and calling their parents.

He added that he is requesting that the culprits and their parents meet with him before their skateboards are given back in an effort to help stop some of the destruction.

E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.

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