Teens and Police Officer Work to Build Skate Park
By: Melissa Ostrow
For: Suburban Newsline
View Original Article
For years residents of Greenbelt complained about kids skateboarding through the Roosevelt Center shopping area, and now the kids complain that they don't have anywhere to skate.
Part of Police Officer John Rogers' duties were to observe the Roosevelt Center. He often saw kids skateboarding where they shouldn't be. Rogers would take their skateboards and tell them that they could have them back if they came down to the station with their parents. By doing this Rogers really got to know the kids and their parents.
"It was a short-term solution to the problem," said Rogers.
However, Rogers decided they needed to find a permanent solution, so he took on the job of finding a solution for the community. Since then Rogers and the kids have formed a group and have ordered the first equipment for what they hope will be a permanent skate park.
It began on Sept. 19, 2000, when SWAT (Skates, Wheels and Trucks) was created by the kids of Greenbelt. The kids run the group, and Rogers advises them.
The group is made up of about 30 kids, ages 8 to 17, 15 of whom attend the meetings regularly and are the most involved in working on the skate park, said Rogers.
Ten months after SWAT was formed, Rogers appeared before the city council to ask for money. The Council allocated $5,000 in preliminary funding to do a site survey, to get estimates on costs and needs and to purchase portable ramps in the interim.
In September 2001, the kids met with the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee to discuss the problems at the center. The senior citizens explained that they didn't want the kids skating in the center because they were afraid of being knocked down.
"They feel intimidated when walking around the community," said Jackie Shaw-Rochefort, chairwoman of Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.
Etta Fitzgerald, who was chairwoman of the committee at the time of the meetings, said she just wanted the kids to understand the senior citizens' fears.
"They are a good bunch of kids," said Fitzgerald, who said she feels that it is necessary that the kids get the skate park.
Josh Yettou, 17, a SWAT member, said he understands that some adults don't want the kids skating in the center and is really glad that there should be a new place to skate soon.
The kids skate on the service road next to the youth center, and Rogers takes them on field trips to other skate parks to skate and to plan for a Greenbelt park.
Rogers said he hopes to have a proposal for the permanent skate park ready in the fall. His plan proposes using the area in front of the Youth Center that used to be the basketball courts for the skate park. He estimated the cost will range from $40,000 to $70,000, not including the ongoing costs of insurance and a possible supervisor.
Rogers said the biggest problem is money. "I know that it is possible," said Rogers, who is also working on finding grants to build the park.
If the proposal gets approved this year, Rogers said it could be built by next spring.
"The idea of a skate park has gained some support as part of a strategy to provide positive options for kids who might otherwise fall into worse activities," said City Councilman Alan Turnbull.
Turnbull said he needs to see costs and feasibility before he can decide if he will support the skate park.
"I feel it would be a good addition to the city's programs for teens," said Turnbull.
