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Stress rises at skate park Talent cops, skateboarders at odds By WENDY SIPOREN TALENT -- A six-foot chain-link fence went up around the city's downtown skate park Tuesday. It allows the city to close the park at dusk. The fence also symbolizes the tensions that have arisen between some park users and the police department in the past month over the enforcement of the city's new helmet law. "(The fence) makes it look like a damn prison," skateboarder Paul Hildenbrand complained. City officials say the fence is necessary to enforce the helmet law and to keep people from using the park at night. The post office plans to follow suit with an even taller fence between the park and its parking lot. "We started out with all the best intentions to have everyone be self-regulating," said Police Chief C.W. Smith. "It didn't work." Smith said his department has opened 27 cases relating to the skate park since it opened this summer, including vandalism and assault. A skate park monitor hired at the end of July was fired within a month for failing to consistently enforce the helmet law. While the police blame the conflict on a dozen individuals who refuse to honor park rules, some of those same individuals say the real issue is prejudice against skateboarders. "They (neighbors and police) just don't like us," said Hildenbrand, who proudly displays eight medical staples in his belt -- the same staples that were used to knit his skull back together after a collision with a bicycle motocross rider this summer, before the City Council adopted the helmet law. Hildenbrand still isn't convinced of the benefits of wearing a helmet. He blames his injury on the BMX rider. But he says he'd have an easier time swallowing the regulation if those enforcing it were more polite. "They're like, `You're going to wear a helmet or you're out of there,"' said Hildenbrand. Smith admits that after giving out warnings for a month, some in his department are tired of dealing with teens who repeatedly refuse to wear a helmet. "If they say we're being rude, we are," said Smith. "I think we're just fed up. It is the same group of people who absolutely refuse to adhere to the laws of the park. ... At what point do we stop being nice?" Smith says his department is feeling pressure from two extremes. "On the one hand we have parents that complain that we are harassing the kids," said Smith. "On the other hand they're saying they can't take their kids there because of the language and safety." A meeting was called Wednesday for all the interested parties to get together and air their concerns, but only two adults showed up -- no skateboarders. City officials are predicting the situation will improve when the city hires a new skate park monitor. With funding from parks, public works and the police department, Smith hopes someone can staff the park for at least a few hours every day throughout the year. They're also hoping the monitor will be able to ease the conflicts between skateboarders and BMX riders in the park -- a combination officials say is dangerous for both parties. The Parks Commission is leaning toward having special times reserved for bike use. The city is also moving forward with plans to build a viewing gazebo with restrooms and a concession area next to the skating area. An architect will be hired to complete the design plans. A $13,000 pledge from the Bear Creek Valley Sanitary Authority will go toward installation of the restrooms. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA