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Skateboarding and graffiti; since the sport became popularized in the late 1980s, stretching from California across the U.S., there has been a common link between the two. But enter the Jaycee Skate Park in Brainerd and there is little that’s positive.
“We have heard from other skate parks around the state and even out in California that graffiti is part of the skateboarding culture, which is fine,” said Brainerd Parks and Recreation Director Tony Sailer. “But what is written at Jaycees isn’t just dirty, it’s flat out vulgar.
“We go out and paint over it and it’s back on there immediately. It’s getting to be ridiculous.”
Built in 2004 to offer skateboarders a safe haven from riding down the streets and a place for youth in the community to hang out, the promising aspects of the skate park are now overshadowed by the amount of vandalism visible from nearly every angle.
Spray paint that wraps the cement pad and extends at times to the dugout of the park’s baseball field, Troy Harris, Brainerd Parks and Recreation’s maintenance foreman said the vandalism hasn’t been limited to just to the skate park.
“We have a nice brick building at Jaycee Park and we just had to spend roughly $1,000 to sandblast and repaint that because, for the third time, it’s been graffitied,” Harris said. “It just seems to be a constant problem.”
Not the only constant problem at the skate park, Sailer said damage to both park and skate park equipment is consistent along with excessive damage to the park’s bathrooms.
“Within the first month of the (skate) park opening, a number of signs and cutouts were all gone,” said Sailer, who noted that a $100,000 grant for equipment was donated by KaBOOM! when the skate park first opened. “The box that kids grind on has disappeared and a lot of the equipment is damaged in one way or another.
“And then at our parks we open up all of the restrooms in the spring, starting in the mornings and then they get locked up at night and every spring people using that skate park go in to the restrooms and destroy it. Toilets and sinks are busted when the kids swing at them with their skateboards and what not and eventually we end up having to lock the doors to the restrooms for the entire day because we can’t afford to keep replacing those things.”
Sailer said the blatant disrespect for cost to the city park is baffling.
“One time I had a kid, probably 17 or 18, come up to me at the skate park and ask why the restrooms were locked and I said, ‘because you people are destroying the sinks and toilets and it costs a lot of money to replace them,’” Sailer said. “And he looked at me, dead seriously and said, ‘oh that costs money?’
“I was flabbergasted.”
Sailer estimates that between the paint, man hours and replacement of fixtures, thousands of dollars has been put in to repairing damages at Jaycee Park and Harris adds that, “it is by far the most vandalized park” of the 14 in Brainerd. And Sailer, along with the parks and recreation said he is at a loss with what to do.
“The skate park is becoming such an issue that we have to figure out what we’re going to do with it,” said Sailer. “So I brought it up at the Feb. 27 (Brainerd) Parks and Recreation Board meeting, listing the vandalism and damage expenses and basically said we only have a couple options for this park.”
The first option Sailer said would be to shut the skate park down entirely and “move on” from it. The second option being considered would be to move the skate park in to a different Brainerd park. Sailer said by doing that, he hopes to eliminate some of the problems, having it more out in the open than Jaycees Park currently offers.
“The main reason the skate park was put in at Jaycees in the first place was because there was a cement pad already put in place there and that was part of the reason KaBOOM! gave us the grant money for equipment,” Sailer said, adding that the Brainerd police do a great job at patrolling the park. “But really Jaycee might have been the worst place we could have put it because it is so incredibly secluded, surrounded by a brushy swamp and leaving basically only one way in, so by the time cops do arrive, the kids have time to scatter.
“So we talked about possibly moving it to Memorial Park, where it’s wide open and visible and maybe that would eliminate some of the problems. Crosby has a skate park across from the police station — they don’t have any of the issues we’re dealing with.”
Sailer said that moving the skate park would add more costs in placing a cement pad down and Harris said his concern for a move would be that it simply “is moving vandalism to another park.”
And while the skate park isn’t being damaged by every person using it, Sailer said it’s those few people that can ruin it for everybody.
“Really right now these kids are forcing us to do something we don’t want to do,” he said. “But it’s crossed a line and now they’re going to have to pay the fiddler and if they want a skate park, they’re going to have to begin policing themselves instead of forcing the hand.
“It’s too bad because it really is probably only a few bad eggs, but those bad eggs are costing us a lot of money and we just can’t keep doing it.”
The fate of the skate park will be discussed at a future Brainerd Parks and Recreation Board meeting and Sailer said the parks and rec department is willing to hear other possible solutions for eliminating the vandalism.
JESSI PIERCE may be reached at 855-5859 or jessi.pierce@brainerddispatch.com. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/jessi_pierce (@jessi_pierce).
Comments (52)
Add commentKids out of control in skate park
Curfew that is enforced vigorously could be a part of the solution, as would having a means of securing park access after dark. Most cities, including the little town of Pine River have video surveillance to help identify the vandals. Of course, parents should be involved in the solution as well, it's their kids, not the city's kids. Monetary damage and community service time awarded to the responsible "young adults" and their parents (if under 18) goes a long way to helping curb the vandalism. I know it's not a "fix all" but it helps, as does having Parks and Recreation personnel to administer park programs and facilities.
Moving the skate park
would not help. As I was walking through Bane yesterday, I told one of the Park personnel that someone had spray painted the brand new warming house. I agree that parents should get involved, but I am afraid that most parents these days stink. I don't know if it is mainly the "kids" in the southeast side of the city or all over, but I do know that we have our share and then some. These "kids" have no respect for themselves, others, their property, or authority. Shut down the park. They don't deserve it!!
I say we
open up the park up to our local MMA school. Problem solved.
Problems with the park
First I would like to say I'm a local skater and have been for over ten years. The JC's skatepark is horrible.
Second don't blame the skaters for the graffiti we go there to skateboard not spray paint stupid junk all over the place.
Why would we wreck something we use "like steal the box"
This is all done by punks that go to the park to get away from there parents and to cause problems with the skaters. "that's what you get for building something like this in a out of the area place" Take what Crosby did build it right next to the police station. last I checked there is no graffiti there?
The park is build on a swamp! There are huge cracks that make riding almost impossible if not dangerous!
Thanks for the effort Brainerd but you failed...
First off: the location of
First off: the location of the current skate park is just plain horrible! It just invites trouble. Let's take the most at risk group of kids and put them in the back 40 next to the swamp...didn't go over so good did it?
BRAINERD: Take note from Crosby and St Cloud!! Please! Seriously go down to the new St. Cloud skate plaza on a warm Saturday afternoon. About 300-400 kids and parents and families coming and going from all over central Minnesota. Same with Crosby! Why not Brainerd? Because they didn't tuck the park away in a location, next to impossible to be found by a tourist. They thought outside the box and said if we're going to do it, let's do it right. Build it and they will come. This could be a revenue boost for the area...a DESTINATION! Yes, skateboarding is that big people, open your eyes, research the numbers!
Gregory is 4 SQUARE BLOCKS of city park nearly unobstructed. Put a QUALITY park in made of concrete, or material like Crosby that lasts, and things will be much better (the material used at Jaycees skatepark unfortunately started to crumble immediately after the park opened because it was, and is an inferior product). Concrete will get used and will endure (again take note of St Cloud's Plaza Skatepark). So back to Gregory, does the city pay someone to maintain and operate the ice skating rink at Gregory Park? I bet I could count the kids that use it with my fingers and toes. Let's build a summer skatepark and have that same person work year round doing something that would actually draw families from miles around in all directions, and actually inject the local economy with EXTRA revenue.
The City of Brainerd needs to research other communities that have a successful skateboard park! Ask them how and why they are successful. They will tell you that "YOU GET BACK WHAT YOU PUT IN!" just like with anything else. The Jaycee's park was a valiant effort, but was unfortunately doomed from about the 2nd day on...
Couldn't have said it better myself
Well said MJIND
A little self-preservation
A little self-preservation goes a long way. Are the skateboarders and punks there together? Are the skateboarders intimidated by the punks, if not they would be calling the police when they see damage being done. Tell the police who they are and get some action, I know the police haters will come out on this. It is time the users stand up for what they have or lose it.
No problem man! Hey they need
No problem man! Hey they need to wake up. They are treating this as a problem, like they need to take out the trash or something..ya know? When in all reality, they are seriously, SERIOUSLY, missing the boat on a real opportunity, both socially and economically!!
St Cloud Plaza Fall 2011: 100's of smiles! NO GRAFFITI
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2402130136980.2140179.136288922...
Crosby Skatepark Summer 2011: 100's of smiles! NO GRAFFITI
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2393654325090.2139785.136288922...
Thehx42:
Unfortunately the only real thing that makes these guys tick is money. It's the world we live in...
TO THE CITY OF BRAINERD: An economic opportunity if you will.
Build a real skatepark in a real location and profit. It's a no brainer. It's a guarantee.
:)
So just above is a perfect
So just above is a perfect example of revenue lost for Brainerd and gained for both St Cloud and Crosby.
Both of these two trips are examples of my entire family having to pack up and leave town for a whole day to go skateboarding at a quality skatepark.
Win for St Cloud. +$$
Win For Crosby +$$
Brainerd -$$
Punks
Its not our job to enforce the law well we enjoy our hobby. I pay taxes so the police force can maintain the peace. And our we "intimidated by these punks"? These punks are young kids lol The real skaters go there to do what we love. Even though I don't think any of the skaters around even go there anymore because of these problems. We drive to Crosby or St Cloud where there is a actual skate park rather then ruins of a lost cause.
Thehx42
So you sit by and watch (figuratively or not) as others destroy a park that your tax dollars pay for, rather than stand up for your sport (hobby). Maybe it is time for the skateboarders and benefactors of the park to tell the community to take it away, we are not capable of having such a benefit here in Brainerd. We would rather see it gone than to help keep it useable. We are ungrateful for your taxpayer dollars and could not care less on how the park gets abused.
Since you know who is doing the vandalism why not help out the city tax payers by calling the police. Seems to me, most people that do not call the police have something they do not want the police to know about. Get rid of the “snitch” attitude and become a responsible adult.
45vs9mm
There are no real skaters that go to that park. We would rather just skate street then deal with all the problems there.
If you ask me just bulldoze the park and call it a lesson learned.
Have you ever been there 45vs9mm even? The concrete is all cracked and skateboard wheels don't roll over cracks very well.
The park is pretty much for bikers only.
The ramps are even made for bikes with there UN-smooth transitions.
So why not blame the bikers also? rather then just stereo typing all skateboarders as spray painting punks.
Location Location Location
This is a common issue with skateparks that are located in out of the way locations.
*Skaters, You need to join forces and form a task force. Show up to the Parks and Rec meeting... They are typically open to the public, and since they will be discussing your park you will be able to voice your opinion on how you think this issue should be handled. Moving the park to an open area will solve many issues. The non-skater spray paint slingers, undesirables, drug pushers won't want to hang out where they can be seen.
A well planned out skatepark can become a destination park no matter the size. Families are now traveling to near by communities who provide a safe, and desirable skatepark. This means revenue for the city. Heads in Beds... I know this because I use to do the same thing. I would load up my Excursion with as many kids as I could with boards, bikes and scooters and hit the road. This meant I had to buy gas, a stop at a local fast food restaurant, sometimes a hotel. $$$ to the city and local businesses.
I hope to soon be reading about how the local skaters have teamed up to solve this issue. I wish you success... If I can help here is my email. Rachelle@californiaskateparks.com
Thehx42
My apologies on listing only skateboarders, my feelings are that anyone who uses it should help keep it clean and report any abuse. If a park is for a certain type of activity then those who participate or watch that activity need to have input when building the park. However, if you know who is doing the damage then you have a responsibility as a citizen to report those people and their actions.
Thanks for the great input
Rachelle-California Skateparks
Rachelle-California Skateparks
Sounds easy enough to accomplish, by putting it in the open this will stop the taggers, chalk noses, crackheads and the other undesirables from doing their thing. Because these things only happen in the dark and dirty parts of our world.
Poor Planning
I would applaud Brainerd's community leaders for supporting their skateboarding youth by creating the skatepark. However, there were several key decisions made that contributed to the situation you face today.
Tony Sailer should be put his professional energy toward finding a solution to the community's problems. His first option (of removing the park) only solves his problem... it does nothing but hurt Brainerd youth. His second option only addresses one of many factors that are contributing to the skatepark's problems.
At the Tony Hawk Foundation, we help communities create successful, sustainable skateparks. We supported the St. Cloud skatepark, for example, that is widely accepted as an asset by the whole community. What did they do right that Brainerd did wrong (and continue to do wrong)? Well... you could start with this short list:
• Opted for cheap, expedient ramps
• Located the facility away from places the community naturally gathers
• Presume (rightly or wrongly) that skaters are responsible for destroying the facility
I am going to assume that Brainerd has not pursued the following support mechanisms:
• Skate classes at the park
• Official volunteer stewardship program
• Standing skateboarder/city advisory committee
• Discussion of phasing in compelling concrete structures to replace the temporary ramps.
You will not end up with a healthy facility if you continue to treat skateboarders like criminals. Find the successes and build on them.
Good luck.
Poor Planning
Great input Peter.
I will continue to follow this article. The input is great and I just hope to see the true users of this park get involved in solving the issue.
Thanks, Rachelle
It's great to see skatepark professionals like yourself weighing in on these matters. It ultimately affects all of us. Every great skatepark that gets built makes the next one easier, and every awful park, (like Brainerd, unfortunately), makes future skateparks that much more difficult.
There are a few more interesting aspects of this facility that bear mentioning...
• The park is about 8 years old. It's holding up remarkably well considering its material. It could be that few people actually use it, (as intended), due to its lackluster design. Still, that's like 64 in prefab ramp years.
• The park sits in a field and is surrounded by an 8-foot cyclone fence. Why is this, exactly? I would presume it's so that the facility could be secured at night... but it also sends a message to Brainerd youth that if it weren't for that fence, the park would be in worse shape. I believe the opposite is true. By creating this "exercise yard," you've accepted ownership of the facility and created an obstacle for park users to take pride and ownership of the facility. (Then to blame them for not taking ownership just adds insult to injury.)
Finally, nobody in Brainerd should forget that skaters worked hard for this park and helped pay for it. (http://brainerddispatch.com/stories/042404/opi_0424040004.shtml)
I understand that Brainerd's Parks Director is new to the job and encourage him to establish a positive relationship with Brainerd's youth by finding an equitable solution to the skatepark problem. We know it can be done quickly and inexpensively, (maybe even at a savings), and hundreds of communities have walked in your shoes... and came out better for it, with better skateparks, more engaged youth, and a healthier community.
Peter Whitley
Programs Director, Tony Hawk Foundation
contact@tonyhawkfoundation.org
skatepark
You are all smoking some wierd stuff if you think its possible to stop vandalisim at Jaycees Park. Save the city lots of bucks and bulldoze that place. As far as that goes ask any park employee about the nightly vandalisim going on at all the parks. Broken toilets-busted sinks- building broken into- lights broke out-spray painting- Its a losing battle even in the "nice" parts of town (if there is such a thing). For some reason vandalisim is a low priority crime in Brainerd.
Vandalism
You could remove the skatepark, but since skateboarders aren't using it, you aren't addressing the vandalism. What you need is MORE skateboarders using the park, and MORE people to be coming to the area for recreation. The people that spray paint and break stuff are doing it when no one else is around. Solution: Attract more people to the area.
PeterWhitley
Where are you from, California? You seem to think that you are an expert on Brainerd. have you ever been here? The whole point is that it was the youths that asked for it, and it is the youths that destroyed it. Don't try and be coy and say it is not the skateboarders, but others. Why do you think they built it in the first place, because skateboarders were causing trouble and damage uptown and around Brainerd.
This was not a park thrown together by a couple of people; this was a community event.
After many months of meetings, grant writing, fund raising and planning by youth and adults, we now have a state-of-the-art skatepark at Jaycee's Park in southeast Brainerd. On Thursday, July 22, we watched a dream unfold before our eyes as the skatepark was built with over 300 volunteers participating! (From the Dispatch,Saturday, August 07, 2004) They not only had the city involved, but Home Depot, and KaBOOM. It is always much easier to be a armchair quarterback, after the fact. And while I admire a skilled skateboarder, don't make it a them against us philosophy!
In response...
Well, I wouldn't exactly characterize myself as an "armchair quarterback" though I could see why you might think so. I haven't been to Brainerd but I'm very familiar with skatepark development and programming. I've written a book that you might be aware of, if you're interested in skatepark health, called the Public Skatepark Development Guide. It's currently in its second edition. I've made no attempt to hide my location or identity.
I'm aware of Kaboom's skatepark program. They no longer produce skateparks of the type that you procured because they saw the flaws that you're suffering. The fact is that your skatepark is failing and it's going to take some effort to save it.
Blaming skateboarders for the entirety of the problems is not only unfair, but it won't lead to a solution.
"open up the skate park to the local MMA gym, problem solved"
made me smile, we have noticed new graffiti at kiwanis park too, just kids thinking their cool. I think if there were some kind of stronger well known penalty for defacing property it would happen less, giving coverage to this is what these punks want. I think a little humility of kids who get caught would go a long way, really, a lot of the kids defacing property are not 18, or may not even be able to have a job, so really no charges and no restitution. Make them fix it, any person who is caught doing so! How embarrassing would that be for them? Having to fix what they did when everyone could see them?
pdnet15
"we now have a state-of-the-art skatepark at Jaycee's Park in southeast Brainerd"
I can clearly see you know nothing about skateboarding or skate parks after that comment. That park was a plastic joke from day one.
"Why do you think they built it in the first place, because skateboarders were causing trouble and damage uptown and around Brainerd."
Thanks for sounding like you care about the youth and sticking them in a swamp on the side of the town.
Look at the photos:
You can see how much the ground changes and you expect a concrete slab to maintain quality over the years.
Also you can tell that the quarter pipe "The ramp that is a 1/4 of a pipe for those of you that know nothing about skateparks" has a nasty lip on the bottom and that's not even the worst of the ramps there. YOU CAN NOT SKATE ON THIS STUFF.
pdnet15 / Peter Whitley
Mr Whitley and I both represent companies who's main focus is helping communities like yours build sustainable and desirable skateparks. We have posted here to HELP with the issues that could cause you to lose your skatepark altogether. We have come with advise we have learned through helping other skateparks with similar issues. I am sure there are a lot of people that would like to see a successful park in your community.
PeterWhitley
You have been in and around the sport/hobby for a long time. With your knowledge and help, a park can succeed as long as the users help control the factions that may cause problems. I am not saying that all the participants or even one of the participants is at fault for the actual damage of the present park. What needs to be instilled upon the participants is when someone tries to defame your park you need to step up appropriately and help the powers to be in stopping such destruction or to inform the powers who is doing the destruction. Turning your back and not “snitching” is not acceptable behavior in society.
45vs, agreed!
I agree completely. The missing element here is that there isn't any ownership of the current skatepark. It's not integrated with the community, it's twice as ugly and half as fun as a loading dock, and the ramps themselves are known to fail and be essentially unskateable.
There are LOTS of options available. Simply taking the park out and expecting that this will solve anything is naive and hurts your local youth more than it helps.
No skaters go there
There is a very few skaters that go there though. Everyone I know goes to Crosby on the week days and St Cloud on the weekends.
The group that is doing it isn't going to turn themselves in.
My main point is don't blame the skaters because we are not there. (for doing it or "snitching" on the kids that are)
All this skate talk just makes me want to skate so peace out I'm going to go skate some street!
You say this
Mr Whitley and I both represent companies who's main focus is helping communities like yours build sustainable and desirable skateparks. We have posted here to HELP with the issues that could cause you to lose your skatepark altogether.
Of course you do this in a charitable way and don't expect any compensation, right? Don't get mad as I just want to make sure you aren't advertising for free on here.