Location for skateboard park remains a problem
By Nathan R. Huff
A Place for Teens added its support to build a skateboard park in Los Gatos, meeting on Oct. 4, to discuss how best to use the momentum already generated for the idea while looking at alternative ways to create a park.
The endorsement comes three weeks after the council unanimously voted to follow the recommendations from the parks commission skateboard park task force to study the possibility of building a skateboard park on one of two town-owned sites.
A Place for Teens Director Lee Fagot said the group's first step would be to talk with local school officials and attend the next parks commission meeting. Fagot said that while he supports the idea of a skateboard park, the town needs to consider other options than putting it on town land.
"We want to make sure we keep the momentum going," Fagot said. "I've talked to a number of folks about skateboard parks to come up with some alternative sites and some alternative views on how the town is going to go about doing this."
The skateboard task force, with direction from council, focused solely on town-owned lands and parks. Fagot suggests that, before committing money to an in-depth study of the two proposed sites--the corner of Lark Avenue and Winchester Boulevard and Blossom Hill Park--the town should consider forming partnerships with local schools.
"We need to look at who else has done this," Fagot said. The city of Santa Clara recently completed a skateboard park adjacent to Cabrillo Middle School, and Fagot said Los Gatos might be able to gain from that city's experience. He added that neighbors of schools may be less opposed to the park than neighbors of the two sites designated by the council.
Fagot was also enthusiastic about a partnership with the local YMCA, which has helped make similar skateboard projects possible in Southern California. The YMCA has considerable experience in site selection, and park design and management. It could also be a partial source of funding.
YMCA Executive Director Mario Vargas first broached the idea of working with the town at the Sept. 18 council meeting, following the presentation by the skateboard park task force. He was directed to contact the task force, that is composed of parks commissioners, skateboarders, parents and Los Gatos Unified School District board member Steve Glickman.
Vargas, who recently moved to the Southwest YMCA after many years in Southern California, said the organization had a wealth of experience to offer the town. The YMCA has helped open and operate skateboard parks in Encinitas, Mission Valley and Claremont, and is currently working with the city of Millbrae. The YMCA also runs summer skateboarding camps at some of its locations.
The YMCA's main function is to help find donors for the initial funding, and then to assume the management responsibilities of the park, which Vargas said cities are usually happy to hand over. At other YMCA-run skateboard parks, skaters pay an annual membership fee of about $20, and a per-session fee of $6 to $8. The park is supervised and liability and medical release forms are required.
"The Y has been in the business for so long, we have an excellent safety record," Vargas said, adding, "and another thing with the Y being involved is that kids who can't afford to participate get scholarships." Vargas said he is awaiting direction from the parks commission, but plans to attend the Nov. 7 meeting.
Glickman said that while he knew little of the YMCA's past work on skateboard parks, he was enthusiastic about support from A Place for Teens.
However, Glickman was less optimistic about the chances of using school land for the project. While he said he hoped neighboring schools would work together to ensure the safety and success of a skateboard park, school land is simply not available for the project.
Fagot said members of the A Place for Teens board, which is comprised evenly of youth and adults, would address the parks commission at its Nov. 7 meeting. In the meantime, Fagot said he would try to arrange discussions with superintendents from Los Gatos Unified School District and Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
