Newspaper Page Text
THE ISLANDER, OCTOBER 27, 2008, PAGE 7
Island skateboard park
Continued from Page 5
reation facilities for all age groups,”
Keller explained.
Keller said there would be some
basic common sense and common cour
tesy rules at the Demere skateboard
park, such as helmets and pads must
be worn. No vulgar language or inap
propriate behavior will be allowed.
In deference to the neighbors, the
park will not be lit for night time use.
It will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. in the summer and 8:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. in the winter.
Commissioner Tony Thaw (Dist.
3) also spoke on the phone to The
Islander last week saying, “There is
a tremendous need for both of these
skateboard parks. We’ve had prob
lems in the past with skateboarders
on the (St. Simons) pier, on the Mal-
lery St. sidewalks and around the
Casino building. Demere Park is the
perfect place for it on the island.”
Both Wesley Davis and Thaw said
the mainland skateboard park would
be much larger, one and a half to twice
the size of the one on St. Simons. The
mainland park will be aimed at skate
boarders of a higher skill level.
Basically, according to Davis, each
park is what the skateboarders, the
community, wanted.
Davis and the commissioners held
several public meetings to discuss
plans for the park and worked with a
committee. The decision was made to
put the larger, more complex skate
board park at North Glynn on the
mainland because there is more room
and the site is more isolated so there
aren’t any neighbors to disturb.
The county had roughly $150,000
available in Special Purpose Local
Otion Sales Tax 5 for each park.
The skateboarders on the commit
tee were told that if they wanted
something larger on the mainland
they would need to raise the addi
tional money through donations.
“I’m excited about the island skate
board park,” said Thaw, “In the past
recreation was always the first thing
that got cut during budget cut time.
But I and this commission have
focused on recreation. We’ve upgraded
a lot and are going to be doing more
this winter.”
“We’re going to start planning
the mainland skateboard park after
the first of the year,” said Thaw,
“although it will be more difficult.
But, we’ve got to be fair to everyone as
far as recreation. For example, we’ve
upgraded and added tennis courts at
our Epworth park. Tennis players are
generally older and now we’re mov
ing on the skateboard parks for the
younger folks.”
Finally, Commissioner Fendig, who
also spoke to the newspaper, said,
“I’m still disappointed at the stigma
that is often attached to skateboard
ers, but I’m very thankful that this
commission is seeing this project to
completion. And I’m very much look
ing forward to the same opportunity
for the park in Brunswick.”
“Skateboarding is one of the fastest
growing sports among young people in
this country,” said Fendig, “and is one
of the safest.
Explaining the location of the
Demere Park skateboard park, Fen
dig said a number of other locations
were considered and rejected for vari
ous reasons.
But, said Fendig, the commission
wanted to keep it on the south end,
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where it would be bicycle accessible
and near the pier where other recre
ation facilities are located.
“You remember growing up on the
island, Matthew,” said Fendig, “the
pier area was one of the most popular
and safest places to hang out.”
Eight years ago, when David Fen
dig got the skateboard park ball roll
ing, he told the county commission
that skateboarders were often consid
ered trouble makers and unfairly dis
criminated against. The young man
maintained that not all skateboards
were unruly kids who caused prob
lems.
Fendig noted that skateboarders
were routinely run off from public
areas where they skated, areas such
as sidewalks, parking lots and around
the Casino building in Neptune Park
on St. Simons Island.
He said that since the county pro
vided recreation facilities for other
sports, football, baseball, softball, soc
cer and basketball, it too should pro
vide something for skateboarders.
The wheels grind slow, but the
Georgia Tech senior can be proud
that his request is finally coming to
fruition and will benefit the next gen
eration. □
Change your clock,
change your battery
Daylight saving time ends Sunday,
Nov. 2 at 2 a.m., when clocks are set
back one horn'. Insurance and Safety
Fire Commissioner John W. Oxendine
reminds Georgians to change the bat
teries in their smoke alarms at the
same time they change their clocks
back to standard time.
"Last year in Georgia there were 28
fire fatalities in homes that didn’t have
smoke alarms, or where the alarms
didn’t function," Oxendine said. "If you
have a smoke alarm, make sure it’s in
working order. Changing the battery at
least once every year and cleaning dust
from the device are easy ways to ensure
continued protection of your family
and your property. Having a working
smoke alarm doubles the chances you
will survive a fire in your home.” □
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