A crowd fills the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall at the Ocean City Free Public Library on Wednesday evening for a public meeting on a proposed new skateboard park on the 500 block of Asbury Avenue in Ocean City, NJ.
Clad in matching long-sleeved T-shirts saying "Skate and Surf in America's Greatest Family Resort," a throng of skateboarders and their supporters helped pack a public meeting Wednesday on the creation of a new park in Ocean City.
A standing-room-only crowd in the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall spilled into an adjacent meeting room after the city's Democratic Club agreed to move to a different location and a portable wall was retracted.
The crowd was indicative of the passions surrounding a proposal to bring a new skateboard park to city-owned land adjacent to the Ocean City Fire Department and the Ocean City Ecumenical Council Clothes Closet between Fifth and Sixth streets, West and Asbury avenues.
No action was taken at the meeting. With $750,000 in hand and a site selected, the city appears well on its way to constructing the park, something that could happen as early as spring 2015. The meeting was an effort to provide information to the public and to solicit feedback that could help address concerns about the new facility.
The meeting addressed two of the biggest concerns about the proposed park: the loss of free public parking on a surface lot where the proposed park would be constructed and the potential impact on the adjacent Clothes Closet.
PRESENTATION ON NEW PARK
Councilman Mike DeVlieger — the leader of a committee of local skaters, elected officials and city employees working to plan for the park — opened the meeting with a presentation that reviewed the history of the project and some of the issues surrounding it.
He touched on the factors (visibility, accessibility, design canvas, amenities and infrastructure, and impact to surrounding area) that led the committee to choose the site from among 21 others.
A graphic shows the Ocean City Fire Department (left), the charitable Clothes Closet, part of a buffer zone (in green) and the location of the skate park (in red).
He said the existing parking lot "is used but underutilized." He said the construction of the proposed park would eliminate 42 spaces. But with 10 regained from the removal of Comcast trailers at the site, six from moving public vehicles, nine from a redesign of the remaining parking area, three near the Clerk's Office and 20 added in the summer by eliminating a school no-parking zone when school is out of session, the city could actually gain six spots.
He said the Clothes Closet would retain dedicated parking spots. A 13-foot buffer area would separate the skate park from the sidewalk that runs beside the Clothes Closet. A large portion of the existing parking lot would remain on the Fifth Street side of the park.
The new park design would be constructed of concrete and feature a bowl with extensions, a snake run and other features that would "lean toward the carving culture," a style of skating more reminiscent of surfing. "Twinkie rollers," "stairs with Hubbas," an "A-Frame fun box," and a quarter pipe are among the design elements.
An ADA ramp would lead to a small spectator area.
DEBATE OVER THE PARK
DeVlieger said he wanted to address the misperception that the skate committee is at odds with the Clothes Closet.
He said he has met with Clothes Closet representatives to mutually address concerns.
"I don't want anybody to feel that there's an adversarial relationship," DeVlieger said. "I think we're going to be the greatest of partners."
Cathy Guinosso, a Clothes Closet volunteer, later asked questions about the safety of skateboarders on the street, and she emphasized that the charitable operation has been concerned only about its ability to continue its work.
"We all really are not against the skate park," she said.
Ocean Road resident Dennis Myers asked if the city has rights to "sell land to the county," given the city's founding fathers gifted a corridor between Fifth and Sixth streets to the city for religion, education and recreation." He was referring to a $500,000 grant from the county Green Acres program for the project.
Ocean City Business Administrator Mike Dattilo responded that the city would retain ownership of the land. Unlike other open space grants, this money would be strictly for the recreational facility, he said.
Aberdeen Road resident Mark Raab asked if there would be fees for the park, and there will be none.
Asbury Avenue resident Amy Moeller asked about noise and about monitoring the park.
DeVlieger said the concrete skate parks are quieter than parks that include temporary ramps. He said plans call for trees to surround the park, and he said its design pushes sound toward the fire department and not toward the adjacent neighborhood.
"We're going to have a low tolerance for nonsense," DeVlieger said of patrolling the park. "We'll make the pain not worth the pleasure."
Terrence Crowley, a former Cape May County schools superintendent, spoke in favor of the park, saying the rate of success in academics is "through the roof" for students involved in any kind of extracurricular activity.
Al Keleher, a regular attendee of City Council meetings, said he's heard enough talk about the city rebuilding the park they dismantled and that the kids deserve their park.
"We've held 'em up now for four years," Keleher said. "Let's get going on it."
NEXT STEPS
DeVlieger said City Council at its next meeting will consider a bond ordinance authorizing the spending on the project.
He said council must adopt another measure authorizing the mayor to accept the $500,000 from the county.
Council must then approve contracts for the design and construction of the park.
He said the public will have input at each stage. If all goes well, he said, the construction phase could allow an opening of the park in spring 2015.
A graphic shows the Ocean City Fire Department (left), the charitable Clothes Closet, part of a buffer zone (in green) and the location of the skate park (in red).
He said the existing parking lot "is used but underutilized." He said the construction of the proposed park would eliminate 42 spaces. But with 10 regained from the removal of Comcast trailers at the site, six from moving public vehicles, nine from a redesign of the remaining parking area, three near the Clerk's Office and 20 added in the summer by eliminating a school no-parking zone when school is out of session, the city could actually gain six spots.
He said the Clothes Closet would retain dedicated parking spots. A 13-foot buffer area would separate the skate park from the sidewalk that runs beside the Clothes Closet. A large portion of the existing parking lot would remain on the Fifth Street side of the park.
The new park design would be constructed of concrete and feature a bowl with extensions, a snake run and other features that would "lean toward the carving culture," a style of skating more reminiscent of surfing. "Twinkie rollers," "stairs with Hubbas," an "A-Frame fun box," and a quarter pipe are among the design elements.
An ADA ramp would lead to a small spectator area.
DEBATE OVER THE PARK
DeVlieger said he wanted to address the misperception that the skate committee is at odds with the Clothes Closet.
He said he has met with Clothes Closet representatives to mutually address concerns.
"I don't want anybody to feel that there's an adversarial relationship," DeVlieger said. "I think we're going to be the greatest of partners."
Cathy Guinosso, a Clothes Closet volunteer, later asked questions about the safety of skateboarders on the street, and she emphasized that the charitable operation has been concerned only about its ability to continue its work.
"We all really are not against the skate park," she said.
Ocean Road resident Dennis Myers asked if the city has rights to "sell land to the county," given the city's founding fathers gifted a corridor between Fifth and Sixth streets to the city for religion, education and recreation." He was referring to a $500,000 grant from the county Green Acres program for the project.
Ocean City Business Administrator Mike Dattilo responded that the city would retain ownership of the land. Unlike other open space grants, this money would be strictly for the recreational facility, he said.
Aberdeen Road resident Mark Raab asked if there would be fees for the park, and there will be none.
Asbury Avenue resident Amy Moeller asked about noise and about monitoring the park.
DeVlieger said the concrete skate parks are quieter than parks that include temporary ramps. He said plans call for trees to surround the park, and he said its design pushes sound toward the fire department and not toward the adjacent neighborhood.
"We're going to have a low tolerance for nonsense," DeVlieger said of patrolling the park. "We'll make the pain not worth the pleasure."
Terrence Crowley, a former Cape May County schools superintendent, spoke in favor of the park, saying the rate of success in academics is "through the roof" for students involved in any kind of extracurricular activity.
Al Keleher, a regular attendee of City Council meetings, said he's heard enough talk about the city rebuilding the park they dismantled and that the kids deserve their park.
"We've held 'em up now for four years," Keleher said. "Let's get going on it."
NEXT STEPS
DeVlieger said City Council at its next meeting will consider a bond ordinance authorizing the spending on the project.
He said council must adopt another measure authorizing the mayor to accept the $500,000 from the county.
Council must then approve contracts for the design and construction of the park.
He said the public will have input at each stage. If all goes well, he said, the construction phase could allow an opening of the park in spring 2015.
