Shawano skate park needs kick-start

2014 was a quiet year at the Shawano Skate Park. Perhaps too quiet.

The good news is that changes made in 2012 have apparently eliminated the disturbances that prompted the former police chief to close the park on Elizabeth Street.

The bad news is that fewer people seemed to use the park last year, and there is a growing concern that the park no longer meets the needs of area skaters and bicyclists.

Former Police Chief Ed Whealon closed the park in October 2011 because of a series of incidents, including violence, gang activity and vandalism.

After a number of discussions involving city officials and residents, changes were made, including a surveillance system, more lighting and an annual user fee/permit ($10).

The city reopened the park in May 2012. Things have been quiet ever since.

“We have not seen increase in crime or any issues, and crime and disorder has decreased,” Police Chief Mark Kohl said.

Matt Hendricks, city park and recreation director since April, said he has not received any complaints about the park.

“Since Mark and I came on board, there have not been any incidents or complaints reported,” Hendricks said.

Park use also seems down, however. Fourteen skaters purchased memberships the first year. The city sold two in 2014.

Hendricks said the number might be deceiving.

“No formal facility study has been done to indicate an increase or decrease in usership,” he said. “Although less permits have been sold, this is not a direct correlation to use.”

Joe Stellato, the University of Wisconsin-Extension 4-H youth development educator for Shawano County, was at the forefront when the park was developed. He said many park users might not know they need a permit.

Still, there seems to be a consensus that improvements need to be made at the park, which opened in 2008 and cost about $35,000. It features a concrete mesa near the center with ramps, stairs and ledges for skaters to use. There is also a railing for experienced skateboarders.

“Ours is one of the antiquated facilities,” Kohl said. “The question is, how do we generate more interest?”

Although there is no money budgeted for skate park improvements for 2015, city officials are in the preliminary stages of examining what needs to be done at the park.

For example, the city used Facebook to solicit suggested improvements for the park in September.

Of the 10 respondents, two noted a need for amenities around the park, including a water fountain, benches or picnic tables, shade and garbage cans.

One respondent suggested using a skate park he’s familiar with as a model.

“In Lawrence there is a skate park a couple of blocks away. It has half pipes, etc. and is used by people with bikes also. This part of the park is well lighted til 10 p.m.”

A teen-ager who moved to Shawano in July also shared his opinion of the park with the Leader.

“There is not enough equipment and not well put together,” said Collin Groch, 17, who moved here from Germantown. “Compared to other skate parks, this one does not even look like it was put together by people who skate.”

Groch suggested the park needs drop-in ramps and fun or grind boxes. The boxes generally have a flat top and a ramp on two or more sides. They also can include other elements that allow for more complicated tricks.

Stellato said the park was designed with future expansion in mind, but improvements are expensive.

“Those pre-fabricated ramps made by manufacturers are costly,” he noted.

Clintonville last year finalized plans to reopen its skate park after finding used equipment in good shape. The council approved spending $10,028 for the equipment.

Improvements in Shawano would need to consider BMX bicyclists’ needs as well.

“It seems to me there are fewer skaters and more bikers” using the park, Stellato said.

Originally banned along with motorized vehicles, bicycles have been allowed at the park since the start of 2014 as long as they have plastic pegs on them. Pegs placed on the rear axle of a bicycle make it easier to perform stunts. Steel pegs are prohibited because they can gouge the concrete.

“It caused Oshkosh to resurface their entire area,” Stellato said.

It took park proponents about five years to raise $25,000 through grants and fundraisers to build the park, which is open from dawn to dusk in season. Shawano County supervisors provided the last $10,000. The property was provided by the city.

There are no other skate parks in Shawano County.