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03/23/2021 03:51 PMA public hearing on what the future holds for the Skatepark at the Ethel Peters Recreation Complex isn’t likely to come until the fall, according to Parks & Recreation Director Robert Potter.
Since use of the skatepark has decreased over the course of many years, the Parks & Recreation Commission originally planned on having a public hearing to discuss the future of the facility last fall, but the hearing was canceled. Then the commission said the hearing might be held in the winter, but that hearing was never scheduled.
Now, Potter is saying that the hearing will likely be held in fall when it will be safer to hold such hearings in person.
“We want to be able to do it when people can gather and we can talk to more people,” Potter said.
Both Potter and Parks & Recreation Commission Chair Joseph Schettino stated in interviews with the Harbor News in 2020 that no determination has been made about closing the skatepark, rather the parties are interested in gathering feedback on what the community thinks of the facility and where to go from there.
The skatepark was built more than a decade ago, when 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 in 2020.
Over time though, the park hasn’t seen as much use as when it opened and Potter said that the cost of maintaining the park has become an issue. Potter also said in the past, there have been instances of vandalism and misuse of the park. Still, Police Chief Vincent DeMaio told the Harbor News that the skatepark isn’t a significant source of problems for the Police Department.
When news that the commission wanted to hold a hearing over the future of the park broke, several concerned skaters reached out to a reporter at the Harbor News to voice their displeasure at the idea of the skatepark closing. Potter said he, too, has heard feedback from people against the idea of the park closing.
“I did receive one letter indicating they thought the skatepark was important and should stay open,’” Potter said.
The skatepark is closed seasonally from November to April and Potter said his staff will soon be preparing the park to open in April. Potter said that around April 1 there will be an assessment of the park and any repairs that need to be done after the cold winter, such as filling in cracks in the cement. Since the cement filling is very weather dependent and the weather in March and April can be unpredictable, the exact timeline for the park opening can be affected but Potter estimated it would be open in early spring even if maintenance had to occur.
Should the park eventually be closed for good, Potter said he does not have any ideas for what the space would be used for at this stage. Potter also reiterated that no determination has been made about the park closing.
When the Parks & Recreation Commission does decide to hold the meeting, the town calendar on the town website clintonct.org will announce the meeting date. An agenda will also be posted when the hearing is set.