Skateboard Park

Where, when and how the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach might create a skateboard park will be a topic of discussion at a meeting tonight between the two cities. The city of Costa Mesa's Parks, Recreation Facilities and Parkways Commission will meet with Newport Beach's Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission to discuss a number of topics that affect both cities, not the least of which is the skateboard park issue. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. today at Costa Mesa's Downtown Recreation Center, 1860 Anaheim Ave. Information: Costa Mesa's parks department, (714)

Elise Gee COSTA MESA -- Spurred by growing frustration with skateboard park delays, the City Council on Monday pushed staff to make solid recommendations for a location for the facility. Plans had been underway this year to build a 10,000-square-foot skateboard park at Lions Park at the corner of 18th Street and Park Avenue. But in May, residents pleaded with the council to reconsider the location because of concerns that too much green space would be lost.

Deirdre Newman After 10 years of spinning their wheels, local skateboarders are getting closer to their dream -- a park where they can perform ollies, kick flips and front-side grinds without the perils of skating on the sidewalk. On Tuesday, the Newport-Mesa Unified School Board unanimously decided to look into developing a skateboard park at Davis Elementary School in Costa Mesa. A local skateboard activist said he was stoked by the decision.

Jennifer Kho COSTA MESA -- Although Councilwoman Karen Robinson's attempt to scrap the already approved plans for a skateboard park was rejected Tuesday, the issue is far from over. On Wednesday, Councilman Gary Monahan -- who was absent from Tuesday's meeting when the council deadlocked on a proposal to start anew with plans for the park -- requested another review of the project. Councilman Chris Steel joined Robinson in opposing the site at Charle and Hamilton streets, which means Monahan -- who previously voted for the project -- could be the necessary third vote to reverse the council's October approval of the skate park.

The city of Newport Beach has a new ordinance prohibiting skateboarding in some areas of most city parks. Shopping centers in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach have signs prohibiting skateboarders from using public walkways and other areas. Property damage has occurred in both cities as a result of skateboarding. Newport Beach Mayor Tod Ridgeway, in discussing a skateboard park, was quoted in the Daily Pilot as saying, "I can assure you no skate park will ever be built in a residential neighborhood in this city" ("Newport rolls out new skate park plan," April 10)

For an alternate site for the skate park, how about the park at the end of California Street -- we call it Moon Park. It's just off the river trail. Just an idea. JENNIFER CROSSON Costa Mesa The new recreation center is being built downtown. I believe it's slated to open in May or June, in which case the old facility, the old gym and pool were to be leveled and turned into parking spaces. Perhaps that could be modified to accommodate the skateboard park.

June Casagrande NEWPORT-MESA -- Support is growing to create a skateboard park for Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, despite some residents' reluctance to see one built too close to their homes, one official said. A joint meeting of the two cities' parks commissions on Tuesday drew close to 20 people who came out in support of finding a place to build a skateboard park. On Thursday, Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau met with Costa Mesa City Manager Alan Roeder to discuss the possibility of building a park for skateboarders from both cities.

I think Costa Mesa and Newport Beach should build a skate park. Kids need excitement and freedom. When kids watch TV, they see skateboarders, but those skaters have their own skate park and they're famous. They can buy their own skate park. EDGAR GOMEZ Costa Mesa I'm 11 years old, and I go to sixth-grade at Mariner's Elementary School. I think there should be a skateboard park in Balboa Park so skateboarders can have a place to skateboard.

ON THE AGENDA SKATEBOARD PARK Following on the wheels of the Costa Mesa City Council, the school board will consider joining the city to evaluate the development of a skateboard park at Davis Elementary School. The City Council approved the resolution earlier this month. The joint resolution will extend a request to the Mesa del Mar Homeowners Assn. and residents near TeWinkle Park and Davis Elementary School to participate with the school district and the city in evaluating the site's potential for a park as well as a possible neighborhood center.

-- Lolita Harper Skateboard park supporters have really gotten their efforts rolling, as leaders line up meetings with key Costa Mesa leaders. Jim Gary, who started the Skateboarders Coalition, said he came out of an informative meeting with Costa Mesa City Manager Allan Roeder last week feeling hopeful that there can be a skateboard park in the city. "We can achieve our goal if we just stay on it," Gray said. "Now I've got to go out and get to know other people so we can find out who is supportive of the issue and what we're up against."

The Newport Beach City Council is moving City Hall to a beautiful new site, and now they will vote on the use of the old site, possibly for residential development. Another recent plan calls for much of the public space to become a parking lot to benefit the retail space next door. How does this benefit our community? Why is there no police substation planned? Why no public services for a population that is growing in density, especially with as many as 1,375 new homes planned within a couple of miles of the site?

A new skateboarding class for kids will be offered by Costa Mesa’s Recreation Division this spring and summer. The program, called “Basics of Skateboarding,” aims to teach kids ages 5 to 12 how to skateboard and do tricks at a skateboard park. Spring classes will take place at the Volcom Skatepark across from TeWinkle Park on Arlington Drive from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on a handful of dates in April, May and June. Students must bring helmets and pads, and pay an annual fee of $25 to the instructor.

If you think the discussions and votes this Tuesday at the Costa Mesa City Council meeting are just about a skateboard park, the Fish Fry, a new building for the model railroad engineers, Lions Park and Fairview Park, then you don’t really understand the local political scene. This is also about the municipal election next year. Terms are up for Mayor Pro Tem Eric Bever and councilwomen Linda Dixon and Katrina Foley. The way they vote Tuesday could turn off or energize their voters if they seek reelection.

The Costa Mesa City Council will decide in November whether or not a Costa Mesa tradition continues as it has for 60 years. If the council opts to put a skateboard park in Lions Park at the corner of Park Avenue and 18th Street, it will no doubt signal the end of the Lions Fish Fry and Carnival. While Mayor Allan Mansoor feels a move to another venue would invigorate the event, I must totally disagree. After all, where does he get his experience and foresight? I know for a fact he has never planned, sweated over nor lost sleep over staging the annual fish fry. He has no basis for his opinion.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES Dispensaries that distribute marijuana for medical use have been a hot topic in Southern California lately. The Costa Mesa Planning Commission had recommended the council come up with rules by which people could apply to open the facilities, but the council instead chose an outright ban last month. The second reading of the ban got a tie vote July 5, with Councilwomen Linda Dixon and Katrina Foley voting against it and Mayor Allan Mansoor and Councilman Eric Bever supporting the ban. WHAT TO EXPECT Unless a member misses the meeting, expect the marijuana dispensary ban to pass on a 3-2 vote with the split along gender lines.

INSIDE CITY HALL Here are some of the items the council considered Monday: IKEA PARKING LOT The council considered a request from IKEA to change the Home Ranch master plan and the North Costa Mesa Specific Plan to allow construction of a new parking lot for its business at 1475 South Coast Drive. In November 2001, when the project was approved, 1,520 parking spaces were proposed. But changes made to the parking lot during construction resulted in there being only 1,430 parking spaces available.

There was a familiar mix of good news and bad news in Costa Mesa last week. The good was the Planning Commission's decision to designate a part of TeWinkle Park as the primary site for a skateboard park in town. Construction of a place for skaters to go that is off the streets and off private property is long overdue. The bad was the immediate plans to appeal the decision by members of the Costa Mesa Bark Park Foundation. Without an appeal, all that would have stood between the community's many skaters and bowls and half-pipes to play in would have been city money.

Skate park now in hands of council I appreciate Deirdre Newman's hard work and thorough reporting of news and events in Costa Mesa. That aside, I would like to sharpen the edges a bit on one nugget of information in her Thursday report ("Skate park stays on TeWinkle plan"). The Parks and Recreation Commission's action to recommend to City Council retaining the corner of Junipero and Arlington as an alternate site for a skateboard park does not need the approval of the Planning Commission.

Deirdre Newman Four-legged creatures lost out to four-wheeled contraptions in a territorial battle for a piece of TeWinkle Park. On Wednesday, the Parks and Recreation Commission opted to keep the site east of Junipero Drive along Arlington Drive as an alternative skate park instead of designating it as an extension of the Bark Park in the TeWinkle Park Master Plan. This part of the plan still needs to get the approval of the Planning Commission and City Council.