Toms River is a big place, with a lot of amenities, but no skate park.
A group of and their supporters have been building momentum and organizing their efforts to have the township explore the idea of building a skate park in Toms River.
"It can be safe, secure and cost effective," said Bernard Viggiani, an East Dover resident. "It doesn't have to be a liability."
Viggiani said his son, Lee Viggiani, and other skaters in Toms River lack a place to go to enjoy the sport they love so much.
Wondering why Toms River had never built a skate park, the Viggianis began building a community of supporters — many of whom are local students and skaters — to push for the idea.
They presented a petition with signatures to the Toms River Recreation Committee, hoping the committee would put a skate park on of possible projects. The poll, available online, asks residents what recreation services they'd like to see in town.
With the votes of the skate park supporters, the idea of a skate park has surged in the poll, and is a top vote getter along with an indoor tennis facility and spray park.
"The response has been amazing," Viggiani said. "A lot of people have come forward — mostly teenagers, youth — who want to see this happen."
While the Recreation Committee accepted the group's petitions at its April meeting, the committee also said it's an idea that was explored before but never fully pursued due to liability.
Elsewhere in Ocean County, townships such as Jackson and Polnt Pleasant have opened and shuttered their skate parks, off and on, to address issues with the facilities. Lacey also has a skate park that seems to be thriving, Viggiani said, and he said having a model facility could be possible for Toms River.
The recreation committee obliged the skate park suppporters, putting the idea of a skate park on the online poll found on the township website, here.
The supporters, calling themselves the “Intensity Skate Crew,” came out to a May Recreation Committee meeting advertised on the township website that turned out to be canceled. The crew brought approximately 25 supporters hoping to continue their momentum for the skate park.
With a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight, June 4, in town hall, the supporters again are planning to attend the recreation committee meeting to keep their ideas in the discussion.
The Intensity Skate Crew have created flyers to hang around town, and have a website to further organize its efforts, here.
The Viggianis said they are simply hoping the township explore the idea, and they are willing to help by showing there's a dedicated community of skateboarders who have a demand for a park. They've compiled research of how other towns have succeeded in creating a skate park that is safe, secure and cost efficient.
"A properly planned, well constructed and carefully located Skate Park is a Town's most cost effective form of active sports recreation. Some school districts even have Skateboarding as part of their Physical Education Curriculum. Some towns even run Skate Clinics and sponsor events," said the Intensity Skate Crew's literature "In Toms River we just get chased from one location to another. It’s time to 'change' that."
We the residents? Define "residents". Because I see residents that support it. So we the residents aernt sick and tired of this, in fact it's a great idea! We the residents support this!
1. We can all see skate park structures are ugly as sin - But are they loud? How do skateboards sound rolling around on that sheet metal and kicking up against the wood "guard rail" at the top, say... oh, about 10,000 times a day? 2. On the other hand if you're going to spend all that $$ you really should make sure the skate park is "open" most daylight hours, not try to limit the kids' usage to 2 hours in the morning and 3 hrs mid afternoon (like other crazy towns limit parks, etc). 3. There are so many empty strip malls and empty food stores around Toms River -- all with empty parking lots. Why not design a moveable skate park in 4-5 detachable sections, and then assemble it in these empty parking lots (even in a corner of the ocean county mall parking lot would be great) let the park stay in one place for 4 weeks and then move it to another parking lot in another area of town. Give more kids a chance to use it that way.... and no one gets permanently stuck with an ugly eyesore in their neighborhood. Hey, Just tossin' out a few ideas....
Heck, it might get some kicks out and about, who then stop using drugs!
There's a few jobs we could create! A handful of people to cart it around, assemble/disassemble it, then supervise it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko8a0qJQpJ8
* It is being considered as an Olympic Sport. * The majority of injuries as in that video occur "OUTSIDE" a Skate Park. * .99.99% of Fatalities occur OUTSIDE a Skate Park. * Football and Basketball have many more times the injuries than Skateboarding. * Lack of proper planning and locating is cited as main cause of problems. * There are lots of successful Skate Parks. * Police spend less time on Nuisance calls * A properly planned Skate Facility can be free to skaters but also act as a revenue generator for the Township. *School Districts have begun Skateboard training in Gym Classes. *A Skate Park is one of the most cost effective recreational facilities a Town can create and maintain. *Skateboarders tend to be lean and fit with strong core muscle groups. *Skateboarding develops physical endurance, muscle groups and certain "skill sets" that are of benefit to military service. * The Military has trained soldiers in the use of skateboards in Tactical Urban Warfare Environments. * Skateboarders are as young as five and after forty many who continue switch to the "Long Board" continuing their physical fitness benefits. *Skateboarding meets EVERY mission objective of the Toms River Department of Recreation. *Skateboarding has Arrived and come of age. No law, regulation, or ordinances are going to scrub it out, and if your community does not have a skate park, your community IS the Skate Park.