San Clemente Battles Graffiti at Skate Park

Police have increased patrols in San Clemente’s new skateboard park after it was defaced with graffiti just a day after it opened.

Whether the painted scrawlings were gang-related or simply misdirected youthful exuberance is unclear. But everyone agrees the markings that turned up Sunday morning marred the city’s newly opened skate-boarding area at Richard T. Steed Memorial Park on Avenida La Pata.

“I was really bummed out when it happened,” said Tyler Kindred, 12, a San Clemente resident who was roller-blading at the park this week. “The people who did it need to respect this place. It’s our only skate park in San Clemente.”

Officials closed the skating zone for four hours Monday morning to remove the markings.

“The sooner that you cover it, the better,” said Dennis Reed, Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department manager, who said graffiti tends to attract more graffiti.

Don Kindred, who was watching his son, Tyler, skate, said the graffiti tarnished a facility that was “so cool.” But he was optimistic about the park created, in part, with five years of small contributions from local kids.

“It’s like a brotherhood here.”

Although some skaters may think graffiti adds character to a park, 38-year-old Larry Beard, who was checking out the park as a possible skate haunt for his children, disagreed.

“I think graffiti makes it look trashy,” he said. “It’s a shame, especially only after two days of being open. But I don’t think you can say enough good about this place. It keeps kids out of trouble.”

San Clemente City Manager Michael W. Parness said he was disappointed, but the city has increased police patrols to help avoid a repeat incident.

“The park is kind of removed from neighbors, so they can’t help us keep an eye out for it,” he said. “We are increasing police patrols so that things don’t get out of hand.”

Skater Jason Verge, 28, of San Clemente, thinks the city should install cameras and lights to monitor the area. “There’s no one here at night. The only thing you can do is put up cameras. And the lights would allow the kids to skate at night too.”

At least eight Orange County cities have skate parks. Another four are considering them.

Huntington Beach’s skate park, near Goldenwest Street and Warner Avenue, has never been hit by graffiti since its opening in 1992, officials say.

No graffiti, either, at Laguna Hills skate park, which opened in June. But in the beginning there were tensions when police began ticketing people who didn’t wear required helmets and protective gear, or were riding banned bikes and scooters, officials said.

Posted regulations at the Laguna Hills skate park require all skaters to wear helmets and pads on their elbows and knees or face a $50 citation. A second citation will cost $100, and a third will be prosecuted as a misdemeanor.

Skaters caught without safety gear at the San Clemente park can face a $150 fine.

“Right now, [the police] are just warning the skaters for a month or so, but after that, they will cite them,” said Rita Deforrest, San Clemente’s Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department administrative assistant.

On Saturday, nearly 1,500 people helped celebrate the opening of the 14,000-square-foot Ralphs Skate Park, named after the Ralphs grocery chain, which donated $100,000 to the $750,000 project. Kids helped raise about $50,000.

The San Clemente Skatepark Coalition design committee, which mainly comprised local youth, worked with the city-hired architect to create the plans.

“The kids actually designed the park,” said Bruce Wegner, director of beaches, parks and recreation. “Overall the city has been working on the project for nearly a decade.”

Times correspondent Dana Bushee contributed to this report.