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Ideas For Skateboard Park Roll In

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By NICOLA M. WHITE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2007

ZEPHYRHILLS - Breaking news: Youths and grown-ups got together Monday afternoon, maturely discussed the city skateboard park and seemed to come to a meeting of the minds.

For the past month, city officials and teenagers have been at odds about illegal skateboarding downtown. City officials say skateboard wheels destroy property and throngs of teenagers intimidate shoppers and business owners. The skaters say they like to skate downtown because the city-run skate park is too far away and they don't have to wear helmets on the streets.

Forget about the city relaxing the helmet rule at the park, though; insurance for the skate park would be impossible to acquire without it, city officials said.

"If you want to go out there, you have to wear a helmet," Assistant City Planner Billy Poe told the committee members. "We've got rules. Sometimes you don't like them, but that's life."

By the end of the meeting, several of the skaters said they would wear their helmets and encourage their friends to do the same.

"We've been trying to get the cops off our backs," said Dillon Gill, 16, afterward. "If this means wearing helmets, so be it."

If the youngsters wear helmets and follow the rules, city officials said they would consider making improvements at the park, at Krusen Field on the south end of the city. Possible improvements include installing new ramps, adding a shaded area and planting trees. City Manager Steve Spina said he would also talk to Pasco County officials about putting a bus stop near Krusen Field so skateboarders wouldn't have to rely on their parents for rides.

The committee evolved out of a packed city council meeting last month, when teenagers - many carrying skateboards - showed up to protest an anti-skateboarding plan presented by City Councilman Danny Burgess.
Burgess had suggested allowing police officers to confiscate the skateboards of those who flaunt the "no skateboarding" signs. He also proposed raising the $30 fines for skateboarding to $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second and $150 for a third. He called a meeting Thursday night to discuss the matter, and more than two dozen teenagers showed up to protest.

Ultimately, Burgess' proposal did not win the support of his city council colleagues.

City Council President Kent Compton said Monday that he wanted the committee to meet before imposing new fines. He said he has also been impressed with the number of skaters who have come to the city council meetings and learned how government works.

The committee decided to meet at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Krusen Park skateboard park to brainstorm ways to improve the park.

Reporter Nicola M. White can be reached at (813) 779-4613 or

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