The mayor asked what they wanted, andthe 30 plus kids who came to the first meeting of the youth taskforce on skating happily told her.
Ramps and rails, curbs and stairs, quarter pipes, fun boxes anda place of their own to skate.
It won’t happen all at once but by July 1 the city hopes to opena weekend and holiday place to skate at the Hillview CommunityCenter parking lot at 97 Hillivew Ave., in Los Altos.
“They told us they’re going to build what we want so we’llcome,” said Sean Provost, a seventh grader at Egan IntermediateSchool. He’s on the task force and describes himself as a full-timeskateboarder. “A lot of people are willing to help buildit (skate ramps).”
Travis Gaskell, also a seventh-grader at Egan and a member ofthe task force, said, “One guy came who’s going to do this(help build skate ramps) as part of his Eagle (Scout) project.”Gaskell said he has just gotten a new “top-of-the-line”skateboard but describes himself as a skater.
“I Rollerblade – aggressive, in-line skating.”
The task force, which met May 13, was a first step the city tookto finding a solution for the droves of kids who skateboard andRollerblade at places like the Community Plaza, chipping and gougingbenches, curbs, bricks and planters.
“It’s clear it’s (skating) important to them,” saidJoanne Byrne, recreation supervisor with Los Altos Parks and Recreationwho attended the task force meeting. “They’re the ones totell us what they need.”
The city took a second step the next day at the city council meetingwhen council members passed a safety ordinance requiring that”a helmet, elbow and knee pads must be worn by every personskating in this area.”
New state laws limit public liability at skating facilities butrequire agencies to adopt ordinances requiring safety equipmentand to post signs reflecting this requirement, said Los AltosRecreation Director, Bob Rayl.
Some wonder if the kids will be willing to wear the safety equipment.
“It’s OK. I’d do anything to get a park,” Provost said.”I’m so annoyed with cops and stuff bugging us.”
“We don’t want to be a problem for the cops,” Gaskellsaid.
The safety ordinance will receive a second reading at the May28 council meeting and 31 days later, the city’s pilot-programskate park is scheduled to open at the Hillview parking lot.
“The goal,” Los Altos Mayor Patti Williams told thecouncil, “is to start with a temporary facility until thereis a permanent facility.”
“I think it’s good that they’re (city folks) trying to dosomething,” Provost said. “They’re trying to find apeaceful way.”
Go to: [This Week’s Stories][Search All Issues][LA Online]
© Copyright 1996. Select Communications, Inc. All rightsreserved.
