South Jackson Street is new skatepark location
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JANESVILLE — Is three times the charm for a skatepark location?
Out of left field, the Janesville City Council on Monday approved the site of the former batting cages on South Jackson Street, kicking aside a previously approved site at Monterey Park.
The council also directed city staff to work with the skatepark fundraising committee to help it raise money.
The council had promised the committee $50,000 if it could raise $250,000 by this month. It doesn't appear the council will hold the committee to that deadline.
Fern and Roger Streich have raised about $40,000 and have said the council's vacillation on locations has hurt fundraising. In 2005, the council voted to put the skatepark in Palmer Park—a site preferred by the Streichs. The council changed its mind and voted for the Monterey Park site in April.
City staff said the Monterey Park site could work with some soil remediation. The problems posed by geese are an unknown.
But council members decided Monday the site was not adequate, saying the bowl design preferred by skateboarders would not work there because of the high water table. Council members also cited the goose poop concern, said the expense of removing the soil would add to the cost of the project and noted staff at nearby Wilson Elementary School has spoken against the site.
The Jackson Street site near Dawson Fields has been suggested in the past, but the Streichs spoke against it because of the number of sex offenders who were shown to live nearby.
The Streichs' opinion about the site has since changed. A representative from a skatepark design company toured both Monterey and South Jackson Street and pronounced Jackson Street the better fit, Fern Streich told council members. It also is more in the open than Monterey, she said.
"The funding is there, providing that we get a legitimate, decent site," Streich said. Residents who had offered to donate work backed off when Monterey was chosen, he said.
"I think we've got poor Roger and his group's heads' spinning," said Russ Steeber, city council member. "Until we give Roger and his group an exact location, they can't raise the money they need."
Councilman Yuri Rashkin called the project the "invisible skatepark that floats here and there."
"It's just frustrating," he said. "We have children of Janesville trying to get a skatepark. It needs to happen. It should have happened years ago."
Eric Levitt, city manager, said the Jackson Street site has potential. Restrooms would have to be worked out and could cost $100,000. Skateboarders could use facilities at Dawson Fields. Restrooms were available at Monterey.
Levitt also said the council might want to consider returning the matter to the leisure services committee, which had suggested the Monterey site.
But Steeber urged the council to make up its mind and stick to it.
"This is going on five years that we've bounced from that location to this location," he said.
Councilman George Brunner said a more engaged city staff should help restart the stalled fundraising efforts.
Councilman Tom McDonald said the council should give the committee a site and "let them go to work. Of course they can't fundraise if they don't have a site. If they had a site, I think they could fundraise."
The vote to move the site to Jackson Street was 4 to 1.
Councilman Frank Perrotto voted no. He supported the Jackson Street site but wanted more information.
Kathy Voskuil and Bill Truman were absent.
Dec 15, 2010 at 7:31 p.m.
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rkerman: it would appear that there is a "story' version of this article as well as a blog release. those comments you are looking for are on the other version of this story.
Dec 15, 2010 at 3:14 p.m.
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shockermgd: You are the one that mentioned drugs and you are wrong. Skateboarding is a lifestyle with its own culture. It is not like buying a pair of inline skates, or a bike. A skateboard is not merely a piece of sports equipment. Drugs are a central part of this lifestyle. Vandalism and theft are part of the culture too. Look at the hair, clothing, and attitudes. Don't tell me this park will prevent anything, but it will be a congregating place for skaters and gangs, so don't be too proud of yourselves City Council.
The Council states that the Monterey site will not work because of the water table. What the hell are you thinking the proposed area has the same problem. Way to go City Council we have to pay for garbage but you want to spend money on the new ice arena and the skate park. Let the damn Janeville Jets and the Skate Park stand on their own without city funding.
Dec 15, 2010 at 2:36 p.m.
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How long is this going to last? Just give them the money so we can this thing going. Kids like to skate. Drugs and other things have nothing to do with skateboarding so stop fighting and dont let a few bad apples ruin it for the kids who are good. Lets get this out of the headlines and get it into process.
Dec 15, 2010 at 2:07 p.m.
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I am glad this is still up for discussion. I also feel that whoever is leading this group’s fundraising efforts may be less than motivated or inexperienced.
The location isn’t ideal and I probably wouldn’t send my kid there unsupervised either. I wouldn’t send my kid really anywhere unsupervised though…he’s only two. Even when he is old enough there aren’t a whole lot of places I would send him unsupervised. I wouldn’t hesitate to take him to this location and spend time with him there. Not a whole lot can go wrong at locations like this with minimal (responsible) adult supervision, or even just the presence of an adult.
Parents are all too quick to drop their kids off so they don’t have to deal with them or be a part of their lives. A lot of not so good things can happen without adult supervision. Grab a baseball glove; play some catch (though it might be too cold right now). Help your kid with their homework; don’t blame their teacher when they are in 7th grade and can’t read or write. Buy a skateboard (probably a ton of protective equipment too) and go shred with your kid. You don’t have to hold their hand throughout their adolescence, but doesn’t mean that you can’t be an active part of it. As much as they may act like they despise you at times; I am sure they do appreciate it.
Dec 15, 2010 at 1:21 p.m.
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"Soil removal" due to goose poop? What exactly do you folks feed the geese down there, radioactive nuclear waste?
Dec 15, 2010 at 12:07 p.m.
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"I think we've got poor Roger and his group's heads' spinning." I got news for the council...this issue is just like every other one that it attempts to handle: ice rinks, garbage pick-up, Case Feed, condemned garages, sidewalks--you name it, you've spun it...'round and 'round and 'round!
But the good thing is that with this location I'll finally be able to skate AND get my fix in the same location!
Dec 15, 2010 at 11:39 a.m.
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What happened to the 20 or so comments from yesterday?
They should be added back here.
Bob Kerman
Dec 15, 2010 at 5:15 a.m.
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This may be a really dumb question. Why would restrooms cost $ 100,000. when I have a $125,000 house with two bathrooms. Has the city ever heard of Port-A-Pottys.
Dec 15, 2010 at 5:04 a.m.
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I would not send my kid down in that area. Why build it there? Needs to be in the middle of the town. What about all these little parks the city wants to get rid of? There is a nice small park on court st (by Marshall Pl) that would be perfect. This park has noting in it and is never used.
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