Teens show support for skatepark at meeting
MONROE - Tom Miller, spokesperson for the Monroe Area Skatepark Enthusiasts (MASE), addressed the Monroe City Council Wednesday night. He got applause for his efforts.
Five teenagers, their parents and supporters were present to express their desire to finish Phase II of their favorite place to "hang," the Honey Creek Skatepark.
The teenagers at Wednesday's meeting, all boys, ranged in age from 15 to 18, from high school sophomores to college freshmen. Andrew Swanston, Michael Ladwig, Kevin Lancaster, Eric Grau and Trevor McGuire all said they use the skateboard park "every day" when weather permits.
Ladwig, 18, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, came back to Monroe after classes just to attend the council meeting. His parents came to support him, he said.
Ladwig said he spent three to four hours on weekend days at the park, and plans to spend time there this summer, especially if there is new equipment.
"I didn't do sports (in high school)," he said.
Instead, Ladwig found skateboarding offered a freer spirit, on a daily basis sometimes.
"I liked the individual feel, the creative control," he said. "There's no coach telling you what to do. It was so much more relaxed and enjoyable."
Lancaster, 18, also is continuing his education, at Black Hawk Tech, while working part-time at Pizza Hut.
He said in high school he would spend a couple hours a day at the park; he might still do so this coming season.
"There's nothing else to do in this town," he said. Lancaster tried one year of track and one year of cross-country as a sophomore and junior, but "it's not my thing," he said.
With more equipment in the park, with "more stuff to do" there, Lancaster said he could spend more than his daily two to three hours there.
Two Monroe High School soccer players divide their time between team sports and the skate park.
Swanston, 16, rollerblades "almost every day." He spends a couple hours each session practicing harder stunts on the same park equipment.
Grau, 16, said last summer he went to the park many times.
"Last summer I went to the park a lot; that's when I was still a skateboarder," he said. He would come every other day, stay about two hours, and then "come back later for another couple hours."
MASE spokesman Tom Miller said the group is looking for ways to raise another $33,000 to addition to the $47,000 it already has in time to order and install additional pieces of skateboarding equipment, Phase II of the park, by June.
Parks Department Supervisor Klinzing said the city has contributed nearly $40,000 for the park. The city donated the land for the park, fenced it, maintains the park and gave $10,000 last year in matching funds to support Phase II of the park's development to help it reach its fund-raising goals.
City leaders are reluctant to invest more money into the park at this time.
"Personally, I think it's a great idea for the kids; they've worked hard for it," said alderman Paul Hannes, who also serves on the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. "It'd be nice if the city could help them out, but we have helped them out in the past."
Alderman Jan Lefevre sees no absolute need for the equipment to be purchased and installed this year.
"We've given them a lot already. I know they've done a lot of fundraising already, but I'd like to see them be able to get matching funds and grants," Lefevre said. "And if it comes down to where they absolutely can't get the money, then maybe we could give them the rest of the money. But I think it's something they should do on their own."
Lefevre said a repayable loan might be a workable idea.
"I'm thinking of the taxpayers as well, too," she said. "With money being tight the way it is now, I just don't think we should have to foot the bill all the time."
Members of the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners likewise wince at the idea of giving more money.
"We don't have a whole lot more money to give," said Bill Bethke, president of the board.
The board is responsible for the skatepark. Klinzing oversees it, as he does the city's tennis courts, baseball field and swimming pool. However, MASE raises money for the equipment.
"This (project) has been going on since 2000, and has received a lot of suport from businesses," Klinzing said. "But I don't know how much more you can hit up local organizations and business."
The board discussed the option of purchasing fewer pieces of equipment. Delaying the purchase of two pieces, a corner hip and a pyramid, would reduce the cost by $22,000.
Miller said the additional equipment would create a higher level of challenge to the skateboard park, and make it more attractive on the circuit of skate meets and clinics.
Miller said Phase II has already been downsized a few times, and is reluctant to cut any more corners.
"MASE is still busy applying for grants," he said. "Brett Davis's office is working with DNR and other state organizations to get us grant money. Tammy Baldwin's office is also calling to inform us of available grants."
The group intends to keep fundraising, and has set up a display in the front window of Barrington's show store on the Square. They also have a display inside the store with information about MASE and forms for tax-deductable donations made through The Monroe Fund.
But MASE will probably follow the Parks And Recreations Board's suggestion to buy its equipment in stages.
"We'll see how much we can raise by the end of March, and see how much equipment that can buy," Miller said. "Then we'll present that to the park board so they can have it go through the city to be purchased."