Ortonville- The Village Skate Park will open April 1, as usual. To use the park, however, you must pay a fee.
Village officials are implementing new rules this year for the 8-year-old park, including requirements that prior to using the park, individuals must sign a waiver and fill out an application that will be put on file at the village office, 476 Mill Street. Individuals can pay for a $2 day pass (only obtainable at the village office) or a $20 fee to be permitted year-long access to the park. Additional family members are $10 each, to not exceed a cost of $40 per family.
Once the fees are paid at the village office, skate park users can show a picture ID (school ID, driver’s license or state ID card) to Skate Park Monitor Helen Edgerton, who will be present during the hours the park is open.
Park users must also wear helmets when skateboarding, biking, or using a scooter.
The new fees help the village fund the skate park monitor’s salary. Village officials decided several years ago to employ a monitor every season to reduce issues at the park that included vandalism, profanity, drug use, noise and littering. The park is located at Cedar and Ball streets, in close proximity to several homes. Relocation of the park has been discussed previously, with no suitable alternative found.
‘The Skate Park monitor does an outstanding job,? said Pete Burkett, village parks committee chairperson. ‘Having a monitor has eliminated a lot of problems. Calls for police service have dropped exponentially.?
Hours for the Skate Park from April 1 to June 14 and Sept. 5 to Oct. 31 are 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. From June 15-Sept. 4 the park will be open from noon-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call 248-627-4976.