Appalachian Skatepark Council Members and Parents Question New Rules at Appalachian Skatepark

Story by Sam Calhoun

Last Friday, new rules took effect at the Appalachian Skatepark, put in place by the Watauga County Commissioners and based on recommendations from the county’s Parks and Recreation Committee. Almost immediately, skatepark attendance dropped, according to parents and Appalachian Skatepark Council members, and community members have started speaking out about the rules that they consider unjust and formed from stereotypes.

The biggest change is the addition of a security guard who will be paid roughly $40,000 annually to supervise the park and make sure users sign a waiver of liability. In addition to the security guard, the hours of the park are now limited; food, drinks, glass containers and chewing gum are no longer allowed; and tougher penalties will be administered for disobeying the rules. Users have long been required to wear helmets and knee pads.

“I and the Appalachian Skatepark Council fully respect and appreciate everything that [Watauga Parks and Recreation Director] Stephen Poulos and the Watauga County Commissioners are trying to do. This is not a battle between the Watauga County Commissioners and the Appalachian Skatepark Council; it’s a quest to provide a safe place to skate,” said Buzz Berry, founding member of the Appalachian Skatepark Council and one of the four people who signed a loan to purchase the equipment for the park. “But the way they have this set up, it looks like a juvenile detention center out there.”

Berry said that he and the Appalachian Skatepark Council are disappointed that the Watauga County Commissioners and the Watauga County Parks and Recreation Committee did not ask for their input when coming up with the new rules.

“You would think that [the commissioners] would ask the people who took out a loan to pay for the facility what they thought,” said Berry.

Berry thinks that an attendant—someone who can help physically maintain the park, clean and maintain order, as well as make users sign a waiver—should have been hired instead of a security guard, whose only job is to make users sign a waiver and maintain order.

“I was very disappointed with the rules that were passed down, and the fact that the Watauga County Commissioners did not consult the [Appalachian Skatepark Council] after they raised money to set up the park is unbelievable,” said Emily Sheffield, whose husband and son both use the Appalachian Skatepark on a regular basis. “I believe that some of the commissioners are stereotyping these kids and adults. I’m always at the skatepark and I’ve never seen any problems, no fights; I haven’t seen anybody even smoking. What I do see are kids enjoying a non-competitive sport—these kids are not competing with each other. I have seen kids helping my kid learn new tricks. These kids should have a place to practice their sport. It was a sad thing last Friday to come out to the skatepark when it is usually packed and not see one single person.”

During the summer, the park’s new operating schedule was from 10:00 a.m. to dusk Monday through Saturday and from 1:00 p.m. to dusk on Sunday. Now that school has started, the park is open from 3:00 p.m. to dusk Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to dusk on Saturday and from 1:00 p.m. to dusk on Sunday. Berry said that the hours are based on the Watauga County Schools schedule and do not take into account the students from other schools and adults who wish to use the park. As a compromise, Berry suggested a time period of noon to dusk.

“It’s not just kids using this facility; it’s ASU students and adults too,” added Berry.

“I have a husband who skates and a child who is 7 that skates, so it’s quite the age range,” said Sheffield. “I think you should have to sign a waiver to skate, but I think the wages they are paying the security guard are outrageous, and the hours—it’s ridiculous, sometimes my husband and son are out there on warm weather days at 8:00 a.m. and now they can’t do that. My husband gets off work at 2:00 p.m. and he has to wait until school gets out at 3:00 p.m. to even skate at the park.”

Berry went to the park last Friday and Saturday to get a feel for how the users view the new rules, only there wasn’t anyone there. On the way home, he said, he saw skaters back in the streets, and hypothesized that they will be back skating on the ASU campus during the hours they are forbidden to be at the park.

“I think these children and adults are being socially profiled. At this point, considering the rules, all of the efforts of the Appalachian Skatepark Council seem to have gone to waste. After two years of this place functioning well, with no major injuries, now we’re taking a huge step back,” said Meredith Boothe, Appalachian Skatepark Council member, skateboarder and state employee. “These kids who before the skatepark was built felt that they didn’t belong anywhere, now, after two years, feel like they have no place to go again and they are going right back on the streets.

“The problem is that they are not being considered as athletes. I talked to Stephen Poulos at [Watauga County Parks and Recreation] and asked him why the baseball and softball teams did not have to wear any safety equipment. He said it was because they signed a waiver. Well, we’re signing a waiver too,” said Boothe. “Some of these kids helped build this park two years ago and now they are not even skating at the park.”

Boothe and other members of the Appalachian Skatepark Council are wondering why if pads are required, there is not a rental system for the pads to help accommodate lower-income athletes.

“From the very beginning, [the Appalachian Skatepark Council] has advocated helmets. We’ve all seen too many traumatic brain injuries to know people must wear helmets. But if you’re going to require full pads, then have a rental system out there for the kids who can’t afford it. How do you require something that you’re not going to provide?” said Boothe.

Sheffield, Boothe and Berry all expressed concern over the new rule that drinks and water bottles are no longer allowed inside the facility. They believe it is important for users to stay hydrated while exercising and think the new rule does not promote that practice.

“As a former owner/operator of a skatepark, all skaters and in-line skaters are very smart and educated,” said Berry. “You find that these are great kids, very well intentioned. All they want to do is participate in this sport and they keep getting run off. We gave them a safe place to skate and now they’re getting run off again.”

Members of the Appalachian Skatepark Council are addressing the Watauga County Commissioners with their concerns about the new rules on Monday, August 25, during the commissioners’ regularly scheduled meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the commissioners’ boardroom.