Mason, Deerfield ready to revisit skate park
Plan had been in place years ago, but city and township couldn't work out agreement.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
The Mason Park Board is ready to roll on resurrecting plans for a skate park.
About five years ago, 1,400 kids petitioned the city to build a skate park. They ended up participating in the design of the skateboard haven.
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City council was primed to pass legislation that would have cleared the way for the $432,622 park when now-Mayor Tom Grossmann remembered Deerfield Twp. was supposed to be in on the project, which came in over budget. Township trustees declined to share costs since they hadn't been in the loop in the planning stages. They offered a land swap deal which the city declined. And the city put the skids on the skate park after that.
Now the park board is taking another look at the plans, and intends to talk with Deerfield Twp. again. "The park board felt it was absolutely worth revisiting it, and do whatever it takes to create something in the city that accommodates skateboarders," Mason City Council and park board member Christine Shimrock said. "And I agree."
The city recently banned boarding in many city spots. In response to that, West Chester Twp. resident Ron Riccetti sent an e-mail saying, "So now I am in the process of organizing over 100 skateboarders to flood the downtown Mason area and skateboard on everything in sight."
Once he heard about the park board's plans, he modified that remark, saying they will still probably stage a "peaceful rally" just to show how many boarders there are in the area.
Deerfield Twp. Administrator Dan Evers said the township would be willing to talk, as long as they start with a clean slate and Deerfield is at the planning table.
