Skateboards and ice skating
August 26th, 2008 by 
Alica
It looks like the city is going to have to move the skateboard park and the ice skating rink by 2011 at the latest. The city leases school land for those activities, and school district representatives have said they won’t renew the lease.
The school wants to use the land, along Holly Boulevard, for improvements to the high school parking lot.
Moving the skating activities would cost the city at least $13,000 and possibly as much as $93,000, depending on the new location. The least expensive solution would be to turn the Aspen Park tennis courts into a skateboard park and put the ice rink between them and the swimming pool. Tennis association perople have objected to this solution.
The most expensive option would require the city to start from scratch, possibly at McHardy Park.
I suppose there are a couple of options that would cost nothing at all. The city could simply close both activities and not offer them at all. Or, the city could wait until 2011 and hope the school renews the lease after all. A lot could happen in three years. New people could be on the school board by then.
What do you think the city should do? Discontinue the activities, move them to Aspen Park for the least cost, start fresh for a much higher cost, or just wait and see what happens? Or are there other options that haven’t come to light yet?
Posted in Uncategorized, City business | 
August 26th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I am wondering how many kids use the skate park. Is there a breakdown anywhere on costs per usage? It seems like the skate park is nice but a very EXPENSIVE park item. Maybe the dollars could be spent on an activity that more kids would benefit from.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I think the skatepark is great!! It gives the kids a safe place (with rules…such as helmets and pads) to skateboard. I would rather have the kids there instead of all over the sidewalks and business driveways.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Sounds like the city is thinking right, utilize the courts at Aspen park, as noted, Dennis said they have never been repainted, thus not used alot. Good use of existing city facilites. at a boy city hall!!!!!
August 26th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Everyone is making good points. It probably is an expensive park item, but it is good to have some diversity in recreational activities. The facilities should have NEVER been on leased ground. They should have been at Aspen Park along which I think is an ideal, central location. Regardless, I think it is good that the city explore any and all options.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:05 am
The city doesn’t spend any money on the parks we have now why would they spend it on the skate park, even that land is being leased for free from the school. When asked to move the park for expansion of the High School the city was going to charge the school for it. Brilliance at its best!! Look at what the surrounding communities have for parks and swimming pools, people have been asking why doesn’t Brandon have a pool like Tea, Lennox, Pipestone, etc.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Brandon has recently upgraded the baseball/softball complex a lot. They have also spent money on the other parks and pool as well in the past couple of years.
Do you know the cost of those swimming pools in the towns you mentioned? It would definately be fun to have but the cost (taxes) are way high! Not sure about Lennox’s pool but I know Tea’s and Pipestone’s were in the millions for cost to build.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:55 am
You are right, #6. The money to pay for these things comes from the taxpayers.
To #5: Whether the money comes out of the city budget or the school budget, the money ultimately comes out of taxpayers’ pockets.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
The school initially offered to pay 1/2 the cost of moving it, until two of the councilman nixed it and left a bad taste in the schools mouth. (read the letters in past challenger or see city council videos)
On the pro side….how many use the skate park and ice rink….how many play tennis? That association got many thousands of dollars when it wasn’t on the budget.
On the con side….the skate park (even with supposed supervision) has had some very questionable activities going on. And….why do we have to pay to supervise it, no other towns supervise theirs, it’s at your own risk. We don’t supervise the ice rink, tennis courts etc. What’s the difference?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 am
It wouldn’t cost taxpayers anything if the school would just let the skateboard park stay where it is.
The school people wanted skating to move because they wanted to modify the parking lot entrance. Well, the school modified plans so the entrance doesn’t need to be modified. So why, then, does skating still need to be moved?
The school board has said they won’t renew the skateboard and ice skating contract in 2011. A lot could happen between now and then. Different people easily could be on the school board by then.
Is the school board being premature? If skating were left where it is, the tennis people could still use the Aspen Park courts, and taxpayers wouldn’t have to come up with nearly $100,000 to move the skate park.
One other thought. If the city does move the skateboard park, that would leave that area - which was tennis courts to begin with - available to be made into tennis courts once again. The tennis association and school teams might prefer that location over the Aspen Park location anyway.
Just a thought.