Courtesy Newport Mesa Daily Voice: (Please support AB874!)
Jeff Westermann, 34, who builds skate ramps for Pro SK8 Ramps, frequents Volcom Skate Park in Costa Mesa regularly. He received his "courtesy notice" on Sat., Aug. 8 from Harbor Court in Costa Mesa regarding a ticket he received for not wearing one elbow pad while skating the park on Friday, July 17 at 2 p.m. A ticket for skateboarding without kneepads or elbow pads in Costa Mesa incurs a $245 fine!
Here's Jeff's account of the day ....
I was wearing my helmet, knee pads and 1 elbow pad. I wasn't skating when the cops showed up. One of the officers kept egging me on to get in there and skate while the park was empty, due to the fact the entire park was getting tickets for no pads. I finally put on all my pads (except the missing elbow pad that I left there weeks prior) and took 1/2 lap through the street course when this "Napoleon syndrome cop" came running over yelling for me to exit the park immediately. it looked like a SWAT or Narcotics Raid on the Volcom skatepark. They circled the place from every angle with six cop cars and two police SUV's to block off all escape attempts.
He was writing the ticket before he reached my location outside the gate! This guy wanted to establish his authority right away by asking me my age and escorting me directly in front of the signage outside the park and asked me if I could read [the rules and regulations]. After that, he told me I was a "bad influence" and what a "bad example" I was showing the young skaters (after I handed my old helmet to a local kid minutes before!) Let's just say that I had a few choice words for him after that but held my cool.... sort of... My infraction is a violation of CMMC - 12 - 57 (b) - skating without elbow pads/knee pads. About 10 or 12 kids received citations that day.
The very next morning I went to the tennis pro shop located next to the skatepark for a Gatorade and the guy working behind the counter told me he was watching the entire thing and could't believe what a raw deal I got. He also mentioned they pulled three of those raids that day!
Editor's Note:
This kind of fine could make a skateboarder go somewhere else and possibly damage private property. Jeff is to appear at Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach on or before August 28 at 8:15 a.m. He plans on pleading not guilty. If he requests a court trial be set regarding the citation, he has to pay the bail amount at the time he requests a trial. We'll keep you updated on what occurs.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Foster City to get Skatepark
City approves skate park’s construction
August 04, 2009,08:53 AM Bill Silverfarb
Councilman Art Kiesel sided with two of his colleagues last night to approve the construction of a skate park at Leo J. Ryan Park next to the Vibe teen center.
The city will construct the skate park at a cost of $259,000, a price Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Miller described as extremely competitive. The money for the project comes from the city’s Redevelopment Agency.
The project’s cost caused Kiesel to side with Mayor John Kiramis and Vice Mayor Rick Wykoff two weeks ago to delay the project because of the state’s poor economy.
Kiesel requested the item be re-agendized so the council could hear what alternatives there were to constructing a skate park.
The Parks and Recreation Department presented four alternatives to the council last night including the original plan. The second alternative was to redesign and rebid the skate park at a cost of $225,700. The third alternative was to convert the space into an open courtyard at a cost of $165,700 and the fourth alternative was to build the park at a later date and leave the lot of approximately 8,000 square feet unfinished at a cost of $23,000.
After hearing the cost estimates, Kiesel decided building the skate park now was the best alternative.
“Young people have worked hard in this city holding fundraisers to help defray the costs,” Kiesel said. “It’s been on the burner for three years. It’s a pretty difficult decision. But I recommend the skate park be built.”
Both Koelling and Frisella were pleased with Kiesel’s decision. Frisella is the council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Department and Koelling is the council liaison with the Youth Advisory Committee. Both have worked closely with teens over the past couple of years to help bring the skate park to reality.
“A ‘yes’ vote doesn’t mean we don’t understand the economic climate,” Frisella said.
Koelling said the park should have been built a long time ago.
Wykoff and Kiramis were both staunch in their views, however, and said the money could be spent better somewhere else or simply saved.
Both councilmen called Miller’s staff report “biased.”
Wykoff wanted to know why a community garden wasn’t considered as an alternative for the site.
The council heard from the public before making its vote. Only one of six speakers cited costs as a reason to shelve the project. All the other speakers, however, were in overwhelming support of the skate park.
Evelyn Long, chair of the Senior Advisory Committee in Foster City, encouraged the council to approve the park.
“Us seniors plan on skating too and giving the kids a run for their money,” Long said.
Tim Curry, a father of two, said the park is an investment in Foster City’s youth.
“I can’t support this enough. I can’t think of money better spent. It will help kids feel like they are a part of the community,” Curry said.
Several members of the Parks and Recreation Commission also spoke in favor of the park, including Steve Okamoto, Dick Keeley and Steve Morris.
Commission members pointed out to the council that skateboarding has become more popular than baseball for today’s youth.
“The older generation shouldn’t underestimate the recreational needs of the current generation,” Keeley said.
Morris said the council may have shelved the idea two weeks ago because of the timing of the state budget and concerns over state takeaways at the local level.
“If the skate park doesn’t get built now, it will never get built,” Morris said.
Okamoto encouraged the council to build the skate park now because it’s a buyer’s market.
“This is a buyer’s market and we are the buyers,” Okamoto said.
The mayor did not agree, however, saying there is no evidence the overall economy will be improving any time soon.
Bill Silverfarb can be reached by e-mail: silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.
August 04, 2009,08:53 AM Bill Silverfarb
Councilman Art Kiesel sided with two of his colleagues last night to approve the construction of a skate park at Leo J. Ryan Park next to the Vibe teen center.
The city will construct the skate park at a cost of $259,000, a price Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Miller described as extremely competitive. The money for the project comes from the city’s Redevelopment Agency.
The project’s cost caused Kiesel to side with Mayor John Kiramis and Vice Mayor Rick Wykoff two weeks ago to delay the project because of the state’s poor economy.
Kiesel requested the item be re-agendized so the council could hear what alternatives there were to constructing a skate park.
The Parks and Recreation Department presented four alternatives to the council last night including the original plan. The second alternative was to redesign and rebid the skate park at a cost of $225,700. The third alternative was to convert the space into an open courtyard at a cost of $165,700 and the fourth alternative was to build the park at a later date and leave the lot of approximately 8,000 square feet unfinished at a cost of $23,000.
After hearing the cost estimates, Kiesel decided building the skate park now was the best alternative.
“Young people have worked hard in this city holding fundraisers to help defray the costs,” Kiesel said. “It’s been on the burner for three years. It’s a pretty difficult decision. But I recommend the skate park be built.”
Both Koelling and Frisella were pleased with Kiesel’s decision. Frisella is the council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Department and Koelling is the council liaison with the Youth Advisory Committee. Both have worked closely with teens over the past couple of years to help bring the skate park to reality.
“A ‘yes’ vote doesn’t mean we don’t understand the economic climate,” Frisella said.
Koelling said the park should have been built a long time ago.
Wykoff and Kiramis were both staunch in their views, however, and said the money could be spent better somewhere else or simply saved.
Both councilmen called Miller’s staff report “biased.”
Wykoff wanted to know why a community garden wasn’t considered as an alternative for the site.
The council heard from the public before making its vote. Only one of six speakers cited costs as a reason to shelve the project. All the other speakers, however, were in overwhelming support of the skate park.
Evelyn Long, chair of the Senior Advisory Committee in Foster City, encouraged the council to approve the park.
“Us seniors plan on skating too and giving the kids a run for their money,” Long said.
Tim Curry, a father of two, said the park is an investment in Foster City’s youth.
“I can’t support this enough. I can’t think of money better spent. It will help kids feel like they are a part of the community,” Curry said.
Several members of the Parks and Recreation Commission also spoke in favor of the park, including Steve Okamoto, Dick Keeley and Steve Morris.
Commission members pointed out to the council that skateboarding has become more popular than baseball for today’s youth.
“The older generation shouldn’t underestimate the recreational needs of the current generation,” Keeley said.
Morris said the council may have shelved the idea two weeks ago because of the timing of the state budget and concerns over state takeaways at the local level.
“If the skate park doesn’t get built now, it will never get built,” Morris said.
Okamoto encouraged the council to build the skate park now because it’s a buyer’s market.
“This is a buyer’s market and we are the buyers,” Okamoto said.
The mayor did not agree, however, saying there is no evidence the overall economy will be improving any time soon.
Bill Silverfarb can be reached by e-mail: silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.
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