Let me say first of all I have nothing against a skateboard park. As a matter of fact I think it is a grand idea to get boarders away from vehicles on the street and pedestrians on sidewalks. However, if your going to promote a park and provide a place for these guys and gals to have fun, at least insist on proper safety equipment. In the photos Albero has provided on his site there is but a handful of riders wearing helmets. None that I saw wearing elbow or knee pads and certainly none wearing wrist guards. One photo shows one person flat on his back. Had he just fallen? One can assume so as it does not seem feasible that he just decided to take a nap.
Falls are inevitable, I understand that. But when noggin meets asphalt or concrete at an accelerated rate---the noggin will lose. Albero now boasts he will build a 13,000 square foot indoor park with pro-shop if enough interest is shown. It will be open 24-7 rain or shine. It's all for the kids. Sure. Are sales and service from the pro-shop going to be enough to maintain the park? How about the wages for someone to work there at the shop, will sales be enough to cover that? Don't forget unemployment insurance for employees even if it's only you. I'll bet you forgot about entertainment tax for your good buddy O'Malley, or maybe your so tight with the Guv he'll waive that for his best bud Albero. If your going to run a venture like this some type of insurance will be needed.
The group involved in the fundraiser are trying to get enough money together to kick off the park project in the hopes the county or city or both could pick up the remainder of the tab and maintain the park in years to come. My bet is Albero see a fast buck to be made and as soon as it becomes old hat he closes down and the kids are back to square one on the public park.
How good is Albero to his word? Only time will tell. My bet is nothing will happen by his hand.
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5 comments:
Big Mouth's "offer" was just a ploy to get some comments (code word for "hits") on his blog.
It will never happen.
Lets see; there was the bigger and better zoo, the ice cream shop, the restaurant, and that empty building down town....
I wouldn't hold my breath.
I seem to remember a few years back that there were problems even getting a hot dog or icecream vendor in the park. How is Joe going to be allowed to have a pro shop, etc on public property?? Also, what about liability insurance in case one of those kids gets hurt? Open 24/7? Sounds like a great place to sell drugs.
I am a big supporter of a skate park. I have skated since the 80's and there are a few of my generation who have batted this idea around for years now. We even have a model for a park. Its a simple design that will not wear out, will cost nothing to maintain, and will have a minimal footprint. My thoughts are a public park with two granite slabs stacked on top of each other in a step formation will last forever and is all that is needed. Its street skating people, street skaters are not ramp skaters. We olie, grind, lip trick, freestlye. I aint about vert. That little granite slab is all these kids need. Cheap and effective. As for liabiltiy, a few well palced signs will take care of that. like the city isn't held liable for tennis injures on the public court.
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