Council considers new site for skate park

Susan McCormack

COSTA MESA -- In a surprise move, the City Council voted unanimously

Monday night to consider putting a skateboard park at Charle and Hamilton

streets.

The vote was made after Councilwoman Libby Cowan suggested the city look

into putting a skate park on the land, which the council was poised to

rezone for business purposes.

Councilman Joe Erickson had suggested the site as a location for a skate

park at a recent study session.

“We all laughed, and then said, ‘This merits some thought.”’ Cowan said.

Cowan noted the land was once zoned for recreational use, so the idea of

using the site for a skate park was not unreasonable.

“The lightbulb finally went on,” she said.

About six months ago, a bidder put a $25,000 deposit on the land with the

city. The transaction was to be completed after the land was rezoned. But

with Monday’s vote, the council postponed making a decision about

rezoning the land until staff can report back on the feasibility of

building a skate park there.

If the council were to decide to go ahead with the park, it would have to

reimburse the bidder the deposit.

On the agenda, the council was scheduled to vote on whether to use

TeWinkle Park for a skate park. They continued that decision, as well.

A light moment occurred when one public speaker suggested using the

Pacific Amphitheatre as a ready-to-use skate park.

The council had recently zeroed in on the east side of TeWinkle Park,

near the corner of Juniper Drive and Arlington Avenue, an open turf area

with a grove of eucalyptus and ash trees.

Mayor Monahan had said if the council did not make its decision on a

skate park location Monday night, the city might never get a park

because of a “not-in-my-backyard” attitude on the part of residents.

During the last year, council members and residents have passionately

debated the issue. Last May, the council’s plans to build a

10,000-square-foot skate park at Lions Park were halted when nearby

residents protested because of the loss of green space.