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Long Beach Skate Park Re-Opening Draws Rave Reviews by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 01.18.10 |
+  Hundreds of eager young skaters took to the redesigned ramps, rails and half-pipes at the Long Beach skate park located at 14th Street & Pacific Avenue on Sunday in a ceremony that marked an emotional and long-awaited moment of triumph for members of the community.Eager young skaters were literally hanging on the fences as they patiently awaited the go-ahead to begin skating; and for good reason. Locals have been forced to seek out other parks for the past six months as the skate park was being redeveloped. Eventually, it was more than doubled in size and designed according to plans that were created in part by the very youngsters who skated the park this weekend. "I'm amazed," said 21-year old Chris McNealty, a regular at the skate park. McNealty and several friends live in very close proximity to the park but spent the last six months trekking as far as El Dorado Park or Bixby Park - a sizeable distance when your transportation is a skateboard - while waiting for their homecourt to be redeveloped. "We helped and this is what we get," McNealty said, surveying the new park with wide eyes. "This is lovely right here." The City Council this week will hear a request to rename the park in honor of Michael K. Green, a popular skater who was a regular at the site before he was killed as an innocent bystander caught in the midst of Long Beach gang violence in 2005. "Michael Green was an inspiration to a lot of the skaters that are here today," said Councilmember Robert Garcia, who spearheaded the redesign effort and will bring the motion to rename the park after Green before the Council this week. Many of those skating on Sunday knew Green and consoled his mother as she struggled with her words at the microphone. She gathered herself and brought the crowd to cheers as a group that has skated together, mourned together and created together took their first ride in honor of their fallen friend. A large group of local skaters who were a part of the creative process have become an inseparable group of friends, and joined together with former Councilmember Mike Donelon to get involved with the redesign process several years ago - attending Council meetings and lobbying for support from all around the neighborhood. Donelon considers many of them as part of his family and regularly has them over to his house. "What's important is that what happened here today made them a part of their community and they've now had that opportunity," Donelon said, excusing himself to flag down a passing skater and ask if he was planning on coming to his house that night. "More than anything, I'm just proud of the kids," Donelon said. "What we've done is made a contribution to the community that's going to benefit everyone for the good, and have a profound effect for years to come." Click here to read our policy on covering the Long Beach City Council.        
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38 Comments so far.
GaneL This was an awesome event...The area needed this and the kids and community was happy! Robert Garcia We broke ground 6 months ago, and worked hard to open the park as soon as possible. It's a special day for the young skaters, and the Washington Neighborhood. We had over 200 youths show up today ready to skate, and celebrate the opening. Skating brings youth together from every ethnicity, in a peaceful and supportive sport. Thanks to Mike Donelon, Better Balance for Long Beach and our Parks Department for their hard work today on the opening. Skate on. Dan Not a helmet, elbow, wrist guard or knee pad visible. Taxpayers will now have to pay for Dr and hopsital bills for these clowns. UNBELEIVABLE! At least enforce the rules for one day! great! I am glad the kids have a place to play. Not to be a downer, but I really hope we spent as much money on getting these kids to the point of finding meaningful employment later. Donna I agree with Dan. Is there a nonprofit organization or a city office who would take the lead and establish a fund to help individuals and corporate sponsors provide safety gear to "qualified" skaters? Mike Donelon Great day of organized chaos! 95% of the kids that ride skate parks statewide, citywide and nationwide do not wear safety gear. There has never been a death or law suit in a skate park. In California 36 deaths attributed to skate board accidents are on the streets by automobiles. Ticketing kids in low income neighborhoods for equipment they cant afford always go to warrant. We've made a criminal out of kid for no equipment in a neighborhood where kids are killing kids. Enforcement pushes kids back onto the streets where all skate board deaths occur. For those of you that don't recognize this simply do not understand low income, at risk youth. What I call the disconnect between the haves and the have not's. Kathy Ryan Anyone who has raised a boy would tell you skateboarding is a dangerous activity for youth; broken teeth, busted jaws, and even death. These kids near 14th Street Park live with danger all the time, so skateboarding is one of their lesser fears. It is parents responsibility to educate their kids about the risks associated with activities, but if there is no parental guidance at home, or these parents can't afford to provide the necessary gear to protect their kids, it is now the City's responsibility to provide that protective gear and someone to oversee the skateboarding park. This is not just about pouring cement. How can the police enforce safety helmets for bike riders and not skateboard activity. These kids certainly need an outdoors activity, but skateboarding provides lawsuits waiting to happen. Now, what is in the plans for the girls, who don't skateboard, because, when the ACLU gets drift of what happened in Long Beach, they will be demanding equal play time for the girls as well. Please tell me this piece of cement did not cost $600K! Nikol Great pictures. I hope everyone is safe and has fun! Mark Nice photo-op/feel-good event. While I love to see parks for the kids, I don't think anyone should be fooled on what the underlying forces are here, ie liberal utopians having a moment of "we are the world". This is great, but there are much deeper and relevant issues facing the city, and no politician should have the nerve to feel "proud", while they continue to exist. Otherwise, we're just one Wilson High shooting away from reality waking us up from this brief dream. Mike Donelon Kathy. No doubt you do not live in a very low income neighborhood like the Washington Area or have a clear understanding of what its like. You're kids are blessed to have loving and caring parents. I have been involved with these kids for 7 years. Parental guidance is a must if you have parents that care. Most of our kids live in disfunctional homes with little or no guidance. Parents doing all they can to feed their families. There have been several hundred thousands kids ride our skate parks in LB. As I mentioned there has never been a lawsuit in Long Beach or California over a skate park accident. There a millions across the state that ride skate parks. Girls skate too. Element Skateboards has 2 pro girl skaters. Awesome athletes. This piece of concrete has caused kids in one of our most dangerous neighborhoods to jump in skate parks and not gangs. Your comments show your total lack of understand of our very low income families. Consider yourself and your family blessed! Skateparks offer more diversity than any facility in our parks system. The ACLU would be proud and supportive! Sadly you represent what we call the disconnect between the haves and the have nots. What have yo done to help our at risk youth? Alison Turner This was a wonderful event. I was there taking pictures and was pleased to see that many kids did have helmets. Most of all, it was priceless to see the excitement on their faces to find a place where they can come together with a common bond. Thank you Long Beach for buiding a place for kids to play and bond together as a community. I am a Long Beach local...Here is what I saw at the event: http://alisontravelsblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/long-beach-skate-park-opening.html Juan Pardell Kathy - I agree with you on almost everything pertaining to tax issues and how Long Beach money is spent. However, I'm with skatepark advocates on this one. Mike Donelon is correct. This skatepark is the best thing that's every happened to that area. Prior to it's inception, the area was littered with crime & drug activity, and was a complete eyesore. Most likely, we've spent more than $600,000 on arresting, incarcerating and patrolling that park, before it became a skate venue. Hopefully, it remains graffiti & gang-member free. dingdongding Enforcing helmet rules will have one and only one result: No skaters in the park. They'll just leave and go skate in the street. Not sure where anyone gets the idea that the city will have to pay for treating injuries - that's just patent nonsense. It doesnt happen with football, baseball, tennis, swimming, or any other public recreation, and it wont happen with skating. The city has put up signs that say helmets etc are required, skating is risky, and the city isnt responsible. The City Attorney has commented on this and stated that the city has no liability as long as those signs are up. Everyone please try to stay in reality. Man, it's like complaining is an olympic sport in this city! Kathy Ryan Mike: I grew up as a 'have not', so please don't throw that out there, when the real concern should be the safety of the kids. They deserve better, whether they have or don't have, and that includes adults that give them more than half of what is needed, because they are poor. Please read the following: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00273 Mike Donelon No doubt skate boarding and BMX are hazardous sports. The sport with most youth injuries is basketball. Kids have died from neck injuries playing football(the City does not require safety equipment for basketball, baseball, soccer or football) and hockey is a violent sport that allows players to beat the snot out of each other as the crowd roars. The fact is clear. Our efforts are to give kids in our most dangerous neighborhoods an alternative to street violence and gangs. We involve them in the process that gives them self esteem and pride in their neighborhood. It works and helmets and pads are the very least of our worries. In 10 years since our first skate park opened, 200,000 kids over the years, not one law suit and no debilitating injuries. Sadly there have been many kids die from gang violence. So the argument to supervise skate parks, enforce and cite kids for no equipment is weak at best. Let the record speak for itself. LBLifer I'm all for skate parks and other activities for our youth that keeps kids away from video games and gangs. However, this could have been funded through fundraising and private donations rather than taxpayer money. Our city's infrastructure is falling apart yet our misguided politicians have the need to fund these pork barrel projects. Even the democrats in Washington tried to kill it. LB Evolver It's amazing what can come about with true engagement with the community. Time will tell if it was fiscally responsible, but it seems that now is the time for creative solutions, rather than simply attacking gangs, as it gives youth something better to do, other opportunities to balance being competitive and building friendships. Scott Jones A great investment for Long Beach for its youth. GhettoChild Please let these kids have fun, for some of you skeptic old folks making the negative comments please revisit your childhoods to remind yourselves that at one point material things may have been the catalyst for you to dream beyond your communities and expectations of what you could have grown up to be or have become.Your skewed views of low income families or individuals are simply fabricated stereotypes by various sources who have created these ideas of what this part of our society is or are simply disconnected descendents of these communities. I think its only fair that if you live in this community you may have a realistic perspective of the potential or negativity this new skate park may bring for these kids and its community. If anyone here skates or skated in their youth and your over 30, then you can testify for the ethnic and social change that skateboarding has helped make to create one of the largest communal diverse sports in the world. Many of us can only be so lucky to work or be involved in such a diverse community where eventually we can see past financial status, credentials, ethnicity and so on and focus on the common denominator in this case boys and girls, men and women that skate. The article simply wanted to convey that now an area that couldn't offer their youth very much in the way of recreation and positive environment is now able to, and the kids are loving it. So visit your local skate park and read the signs regarding safety or many times the warnings that all participants will be skating at their own risk. So for you cheap disconnected urban dwellers or wannabe trendy coffee shop hoppers educate yourselves on how your tax money is really allocated, you may be surprised! Maybe council man Garcia can brief us on how tax money is utilized and how this park was built. Dan I am glad that they will be skateboarding instead of joining gangs as the ex-councilman indicates. Since the tickets they receive would go to warrant let's use the same thinking and not write traffic tickets or enforce any laws in low icome areas. This is a BAD idea whether here or in El Dorado. BTW Mr Donlon, there was no increase in crime at El Dorado when your boondoggle opened there was there? No increase in purse snatching, robbery or increased drug activities in and around the bathrooms? Hope were not writing tickets for these offenses either. It'd be a waste of taxpayer money, by your way of thinking. dingdongding LBLIFER: You are WRONG WRONG WRONG. Democrats didnt try to kill the project, they simply asked that it not be funded with stimulus dollars, and ultimately it was funded by community development block grant money that came from - guess who? - the democrats in washington. As to this being pork - excuse me? parks are pork? Are you opposed to maintaining all the city's parks, or only the ones in poor 'hoods? I dont hear you complaining about baseball fields being maintained, or tennis courts, etc etc. hm, maybe because those are sports for rich people. imagine a city without parks! Who would want to live in it? Mike Donelon Oh well, Mr. Dan. My track record in support for youth programs, not just skate parks, has been well documented over the past 25 years. We have worked to provide alternatives to kids in our most dangerous neighborhoods. We have engaged 1000's of kids, 100's of parents, community groups and activist. In 13 years doing the skate park stuff we have never had one person speak publicly in opposition to what we do. So there are some comments I will not give the dignity of responding to. Yours being one of them. Thanks to all you commentators that support kids. I'm out of this one! dingdongding look at these pics. Kids of every age and color, just haning out having fun. What could be better? To all the haters who say there's something better the politicians could do, or this isnt enough, or this is the wrong project, or whatever - I dont hear ANY OF YOU making a single solitary suggestion. What's your strategy to fight gangs? To give kids positive activities? To bring different ehtnic groups together? To keep washington hood safe, attractive, clean? All I hear are COMPLAINTS. So easy to throw stones from the outside. But go tell these kids that this park is just a liberal utopian fantasy or a waste of taxpayer money. What a bunch of whiney good for nothings! LBLifer DINGDONGDING: You clearly missed the point of my comment. This isn't about maintaining parks, it's about a specific project. My Point Is: This could have been done with private donations rather than taxpayor money. It doesn't matter what government grant it came from. The city is broke and our infrastructure is in much need of repair. Our government whether it is the federal, state, or local needs to better prioritize how it manages its funds. And let's keep class status out of the debate. It's really counterproductive and has nothing do with anything. I grew up in Long Beach, have hung out in the "hood", and have worked in the inner city schools so let's refrain from making any judgements about anyone on this board just because of their opinions. Mike Donelon One more...you go dingdongding! CHARLIE Well dingdongding, I think you've been swinging your clapper a bit to long, and that goes for the rest of you as well; The skate park or any other kind of sports park needs rules & regulations and someone there, officially, to enforce them; SAFETY of the children should always be our FIRST CONCERN! GhettoChild LBLifer! It sounds like you and the other critics can get together and become grant writers and start a 501c organization or become fundraisers since there is dozens of private companies lining up to donate money to build skate parks in the "hood" where you might have once lived during your "probable" college years and worked the "inner city" schools perhaps to get some of those student loans pardon after getting your credentials? Next time while ordering your Latte with extra foam at Portfolio's ask a hipster or an employee to borrow a dictionary so you can look up the meaning of infrastructure so you can may be make some suggestions next time you post.Finally, class status and place of residence has a lot to do with your opinion so let's not "refrain" from that because our economic situation and place of residence has a huge impact on our perception of geography regardless of income bracket or where you may have been, come from or worked at. ElDo Resident The skate park at El Dorado cost $250k and that was exorbitant. This is $620k? Disgusting! No wonder our city, our state and nation are bankrupt. How do you feel wasting money and leaving our children deeper in a debt they will never be able to pay?? It is not charity to steal money from working families and have a big PR show about how "generous" Donelon, the corrupt mayor and Garcia are. They didn't do anything, they stole our money. The skate park at El Dorado is a constant source of problems. Ask the residents. The Rangers seem to have given up. It is across the street from Gerrie Schipske. Ask her how she and her neighbors like it. GhettoChild Mr.Donolen, I applaud you for your 25 years of dedication to at risk youth it is admirable and not celebrated enough. Would you please if you may educate some of the readers on how all types of projects do have rules and regulations to keep all visitors as safe as realistically possible. Finally, I would like to thank you once again for your line of work, it's because of people like you that I once realized that I was able to move beyond my community and attend a university and graduate. Now my "ghetto cinderella" story has allowed me the opportunity to inspire others regardless of social status that there's more to life than what's in front of them. Even that latte taste better when you don't take it for granted. LBLifer GHETTOCHILD: Have you tried? Of course not, that would be too much work and it's much easier to get the funds from our bankrupt government. Anyway, as for the word "infrastructure" do some research on the background of Measure I that was on the ballot a few years back and you'll get an idea of how dire our "infrastructure" situation is. And lastly, you can pretend you know me or anyone else on this thread for that matter. Fortunately most of us on here are above personal attacks and can have an intelligent debate. See you around the coffeeshop! GhettoChild LBLifer: still no suggestions!and by far nothing intelligent to contribute. I believe you began the personal attacks in particular to the community where the skate park was built. Saying that building the park is a waste of tax payers money is saying the people in that community do not deserve government attention.In reality the majority of comments are opinions and not answers to a high school debate. By the way, I have worked for many succesful Grant Writers both in the private and public sector so my friend I do know the work involved not as easy as you make it sound. You probably will not see me around your coffee shop but in case you're looking for me I look just like the kids that you are so pissed off at. Then I can meet you and stop pretending to know you. Still open to infrastructure suggestions as I am a multiple property owner in Long Beach would like to know how to improve our city to help my property value. dingdongding LBLIFER: Actually, it's you who's missing the point. Why arent you suggesting that ALL parks be maintained with donations? Why only this one? When you answer that, we can talk. Meantime, looks like classism to me. da bizniz to those who think we should enforce helmet laws - you are silly. How about actually thinking about what the real affect would be instead of being up i your head with some abstract idea about enforcing laws. This city doesnt enforce environmental laws - I dont hear ya complaining about it. You want these kids to skate in the park, or you want them to skate on your porch? People, get real! curious george question for all who are COMPLAINING about this world-class skatepark in the midst of our poorest neighborhood: Are you opposed to city-funded parks generally? Or just city-funded skateparks? Seriously, I dont get it. Paul Mike Donelon said,"Sadly you represent what we call the disconnect between the haves and the have nots. What have yo done to help our at risk youth?" Answering Mike's question to Kathy,she has done far than you will ever know. What are you tring to prove? Can you tell me how making millionares out of cops and fire helps, "At risk youth." That money is needed for more services and police for that neighborhood. Your comment about the, "Redneck US Senator" from Oklahoma was unfortunate for that gathering. Also, on this forum, GhettoChild said,"So for you cheap disconnected urban dwellers or wannabe trendy coffee shop hoppers educate yourselves on how your tax money is really allocated, you may be surprised!" Kathy has done exacty that with organizing an informational group about where our local tax dollars are going. Many of these comments about the Park indicate class distinction. There is a good reason for Eastsiders to not back their, "Feel Good projects" on the Westside, and for Westsiders to not think all Eastsiders are, "rich snobs." This City is sinking, taking us all with it. Until the Plantation mentality of our City Government is voted out, the future for us all looks like more division and more poverty. A project like this Park should be a rare opportunity to bring us together, not for asking for credentials and pointing fingers. dingdongding Paul: Mike is just defending himself, these kids, the neighborhood, and the skatepark project against the chronic complainers. Someone has to! Adreana Langston I understand LB residents who feel there needs to be greater accountability and better prioritization regarding how The City of Long Beach handles its budget. This skateboard park could be argued to be a "waste" of the tax money paid to the City of Long Beach. But property owners in Long Beach also pay taxes on their property to Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Health Department is in the red. One of the contributing factors is the unhealthy lifestyles of some county residents. I've read there is an obesity epidemic among California youth and it is worse among low income youth. Perhaps a connection could be made between city of Long Beach tax money spent to promote physical activity among low income youth and County of Los Angeles tax money saved at the Health Department level due to more youth in the county being physical active. Perhaps the skateboard park could also be said to save the city of Long Beach money on law enforcement because fewer business owners might be calling the police to get rid of youths who are skateboarding on the business owners property. I LOVE LONG BEACH @andrea, you're on the right track, but you dont have to reinvent the wheel. This place is a park. Parks and youth activities, neighborhood development (as more than housing and the occassional liquor store, gas station, and fast food joint), community gathering places, parks, etc are not only perfectly justifiable social engineering projects, they're the backbone of CIVILIZATION and thus the bread and btter of urban planning and policy! People who don't get that just DONT GET THAT - they think a city is just where a bunch of people exist in close proximity. In fact, it is the ORIGIN and ongoing HOME of all that makes us HUMAN. Without parks, you have a concrete prison. With them, you have a place people want to live, open shops, invest, etc. What keeps long beach down isnt projects like this - it's the chronic reactionary complainers who have zero insight or understanding into what makes a city great. If they ran New York, Central Park would get paved for a parking lot, and they'd sell Brooklyn to a shipping company so they could hire more police to send everyone to bed at 10pm. Then they'd defund the subway and homeless shelters to build a golf course on Long Island. Parks make cities, and skating is the most popular sport in this town. If you dont like it, please move to Orange County where you won't be bothered with the REALITIES of urban living, or to Detroit where there is zero quality of life. But if you're going to stay in Long Beach, get used to this - we need parks, we need neighborhood development, and we need POSITIVE IDEAS if we are going to grow and fix and enliven this city. To Andrea I say thanks for seeing the reality! And to all you haters, I say: Help or get out of the way!
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Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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