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12/09/2020 08:30 AMDoes the public think that Clinton still needs a skatepark? That’s the question the Parks & Recreation Commission hopes to get clarity on at a yet-to-be scheduled public hearing in the near future. The feedback from the public hearing will help clarify what happens to the skate park.
Clinton Parks & Recreation Department head Robert Potter said that about 10 years ago, the town converted tennis courts at the Ethel Peters Recreation Complex into the skatepark.
“It was put here to provide a safe haven for kids in town, but since then the amount of use for it has diminished,” said Potter.
The park closed for a time in the early spring due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, but once it was deemed safe to do so it did eventually open in 2020. The park is closed seasonally from November to April.
In addition to the limited use the park has seen over time, Potter said that other concerns have been raised.
“There’s been a lot of discussion about how much it costs to maintain it,” Potter said.
Additionally, there have been complaints of vandalism and “unwanted activities besides what the intended use of the park is for” according to Potter.
Skaters are a demographic that carries a stigma, particularly from older people, for sometimes engaging in poor behavior. Despite the less than stellar reputation that some people may hold against those who use the skatepark, it is not a major source of problems for the town.
Asked about calls regarding incidents at the park Clinton Chief of Police Vincent DeMaio said the department “get a few but nothing above average.”
Both Potter and Parks & recreation Commission Chairman Joseph Schettino stated that no determination has been made about what to do with the skatepark; instead the department and commission want to evaluate the use it receives.
“We’re open to everything and nothing will be off the table,” Schettino said.
The goal of the commission is to get input from the public about what it thinks about the park and use that information to inform the commission decision.
“We want to be fair to everyone and give people their say,” said Potter.
Schettino and Potter also said they had no plans at this time for what to do with the space should the town decide to move on from the skatepark.
Originally, the commission had planned on having a public hearing as part of its special meeting on Nov. 10, but the meeting was canceled. Schettino said that the commission typically doesn’t meet in December, so the public hearing will likely be held in either January or February 2021. The town’s calendar on the town website will announce when the meeting is and an agenda will be posted when the hearing is set.
Once the public hearing is held Schettino said a report and recommendation will be delivered to Town Manager Karl Kilduff and the Town Council members. The Town Council will be the body that ultimately decides the future of the skatepark.