Skate Park plan falling into place
By Jeff Gallatin
Bay Village
Published March 25, 2009

Organizers for the proposed skate park said work on getting phase one of the proposed facility near city recreation facilities underway in the next few weeks is progressing nicely.

“Everything seems to be falling into place,” said Lawrence Kuh, one of the project’s leaders. “It’s come a long way in five years.”

Kuh made the remarks prior to last night’s meeting of the Municipal Planning Commission, which was scheduled to discuss the proposal after West Life’s deadline. The matter had been sent to the MPC by City Council March 16 after it heard Kuh’s proposal to have the Skate Park Foundation group fund the first phase of the park without city assistance. Kuh said cooperative contractors have given the group time and price assurances which would allow it to have phase one concrete pad work done this year as long as they were able to start the work in the next few weeks before the busy portion of their construction season gets underway.

During both the March 9 meeting when Kuh initially discussed the proposal and at the March 16 meeting, members of the public expressed views both pro and con about the proposal. During the meetings, opponents questioned placing the facility in the Cahoon Park area, saying it could harm the atmosphere of the area. They also questioned whether it fit provisions spelled out in the Cahoon Park trust which prohibit activities in the park on Sunday. Proponents said the youngsters seeking the park have worked hard on it in a responsible manner. They said there has been ample discussions and that the group has put together a strong plan which meets city guidelines. Others said they wanted the issue to stop causing divisions in the city.

Kuh said he was satisfied with how the council meetings went as well as his group’s preparations for the planning commission meeting.

“We have detailed plans about how the park will be put together,” he said. “We have a landscaping plan ready for presentation to the commission as well as a drainage plan ready for them to review.”

Kuh said he expects additional discussion at the planning commission meeting.

Kuh said the skate park group being ready to take care of phase one by itself if the city gives final approval is a big help in organizational planning.

“We’ll move forward on preparations like planning and fundraising for the additional phases and when the city is in a position to help we will appreciate it,” he said. “It should be encouraging to people that we are ready and putting out a good project.”

Seeing a strong early project might encourage others to help with additional work, he said.

City officials said the project is moving forward.

“It has made a lot of progress,” said City Council President Brian Cruse. “I’m sure there will be additional discussion in the planning commission, which is as it should be. They appear to have made a lot of preparations for this.”

Mayor Debbie Sutherland said the proposal is being considered properly.

“It’s going through the process by going to the planning commission for additional consideration and discussion,” she said. “After that, if it’s determined there is a need for anything else then we can take that up.”

After the planning commission hears the proposal it can recommend proposed changes, with final approval on the proposal coming back to council.

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