Newport rolls out new skate park plan

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- The city manager has initiated talks with Costa Mesa

officials to create a skate park for both cities, Mayor Tod Ridgeway

announced Tuesday.

The announcement came as a surprise to many, including Councilwoman

Norma Glover. The mayor made it known after several members of a local

Boy Scout troop implored the city to build a skate park.

“I proposed the city build a skate park,” Scout Cage Morgan said. “It

would reduce property damage.”

A long-running debate in the city over whether to build a skate park

has met with years-long opposition from residents who don’t want such a

facility near their homes.

“I can assure you no skate park will ever be built in a residential

neighborhood in this city,” Ridgeway said.

In their study session before the council meeting Tuesday night,

officials learned that anti-skateboarding signs had been removed from

some city parks.

City Councilman John Heffernan objected to signs placed at the

entrance of city parks that forbid certain skateboarding. The signs were

to inform residents of a new ordinance that prohibits skateboarding in

some areas of most city parks.

In city parks, skateboarding is outlawed in any area with a slope of

6% or more, or on items such as stairs, benches and planters.

Heffernan objected to the signs because they seemed to forbid

skateboarding throughout the parks. The signs that showed a silhouette of

a skateboarder with a red circle and line are being replaced with signs

that are specific about where skateboarding is forbidden.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .