Aerial view of the new Cape May County Skate Park's bowl and snake run. Credit: Spohn Ranch
Signs designating the Cape May County Skate Park in Ocean City are expected to arrive Thursday (Sept. 24). Final insurance requirements are being fulfilled, and the newly constructed facility could be open within a few days.
"We're optimistic it could open this weekend," Ocean City Business Administrator Jim Mallon said on Wednesday.
The opening of the park would mark the end of a more than year-long effort to create the $750,000 facility. A Cape May County grant will pay for two-thirds of the project.
When the park does open it will be reserved for skateboards. Bicycles and scooters will not be permitted.
City Council voted in July to set rules for the park and to designate it as an “unsupervised facility.”
The rules are:
- Skate Park will be open daily from 9:00 am to dusk (weather permitting).
- Skate Park will be closed during inclement weather and/or when equipment is damaged or wet or for routine maintenance.
- The following protective equipment is required to be used while skating: helmet, elbow pads, knee pads.Use of personally owned ramps, boxes, rails or other similar items is prohibited.
- Use of alcohol and tobacco products is prohibited.
- Skate Park is for skating. Bikes and scooters are prohibited.
- No amplified sound is permitted except by permit.
- Parental supervision for inexperienced skaters and those less than 12 years of age is strongly recommended.
- No food or glass containers are permitted in the skate park.
- Unsafe conditions should be reported to the City of Ocean City, Department of Community Services.
- Skating is prohibited on the adjacent parking lots, sidewalks and streets.
- Proper behavior is required at all times. Abusive, profane language or aggressive behavior will not be tolerated.
- Rules violations will result in suspension of skating privileges.
Mayor’s Assistant Mike Dattilo said in July that “guidelines for skate parks require the governing body to determine by resolution if the facility will be supervised or unsupervised.”
“In this regard, ‘supervised’ means there is an attendant during all open hours actively monitoring the use of the park. ‘Unsupervised’ does not mean that the park will be completely unmonitored,” Dattilo said. “To the contrary, the park and its users will be checked frequently by members of the Police Department, Community Services Department and others.”
