"It's the only park we have," said skateboarder Richard Ramos, 18, of Great Kills, a student at the College of Staten Island. "I've been riding here since it opened, and it's not maintained."
"There are holes everywhere, and nails sticking up that we cannot fix ourselves. They need to fix it, and reopen it because the whole park is destroyed," added his friend, Anthony Pero of Grasmere, also 18, and a graduate of Richmondtown Prep.
"There are holes everywhere, and nails sticking up that we cannot fix ourselves. They need to fix it, and reopen it because the whole park is destroyed," added his friend, Anthony Pero of Grasmere, also 18, and a graduate of Richmondtown Prep.
A group of skateboarders were spotted at Soto Skate Park in Midland Beach, despite the fact that it's officially closed for renovations. (Photo: Virginia N. Sherry/Staten Island Advance)
Staten Island
The city's Department of Parks and Recreation officially closed Ben Soto Skate Park in Midland Beach on Oct. 25 by padlocking its entry gates.
But it will take more than a lock to keep users away. Passionate skateboarders, BMX bikers, and scooter riders from all over Staten Island continue to use it, entering through holes cut in the chain-link fence that encloses the space, according to the Staten Island Advance.
The park, the only public one on Staten Island for skateboarders, was temporarily closed "for maintenance and repair," the Parks Department told the Advance. "Since the skate park opened six years ago, heavy use has taken its toll on the facility and vandalism has created additional wear and tear," its statement said.
The teenagers at the park in the mild weather that prevailed on Monday afternoon were practicing tricks with energy and enthusiasm, demonstrating dizzying displays of high-speed skills.
The teenagers at the park in the mild weather that prevailed on Monday afternoon were practicing tricks with energy and enthusiasm, demonstrating dizzying displays of high-speed skills.
They were not shy about speaking up.
"It's the only park we have," said skateboarder Richard Ramos, 18, of Great Kills, a student at the College of Staten Island. "I've been riding here since it opened, and it's not maintained."
"There are holes everywhere, and nails sticking up that we cannot fix ourselves. They need to fix it, and reopen it because the whole park is destroyed," added his friend, Anthony Pero of Grasmere, also 18, and a graduate of Richmondtown Prep.
"It's all falling apart, and they barely fix it," chimed in Igor Ehretskyy, 15, a sophomore at New Dorp High School who lives in Midland Beach and has been skateboarding in the park for almost three years. "The people who built this park don't care. All they care about is locking it up, and closing up the holes in the fence."
INJURY
Almost everyone present agreed that the surface conditions in Soto Park are such that it is the skateboarders — not BMX and scooter riders — who are most at risk of injury from exposed screws, and uneven, deteriorated surfaces.
"We're scared that we're going to get hurt," said Jeremie Agiazarian, 16, a junior at New Dorp High School who has been skateboarding for seven years and, like others, has used the park since it opened.
James Uttero, 16, of Annadale, a student at Tottenville High School, was injured in the park. The accident happened about a year ago, he said, when he fell on an exposed nail. He showed the area of his left palm that he said required a dozen stitches, and remains clearly swollen.
"I've been using this park since I was 11 years old," he said. "The park is used daily — kids use it year-round. They (the Parks Department) don't do anything, except paint over the graffiti. Then the paint flakes up, and they repaint, and the surface becomes more slippery and dangerous."
Daniel Navarro, 16, who lives in the Park Hill section of Clifton and attends McKee High School, has been skateboarding for the past four years. "I learned to skate in this park," he said proudly. "But it just got worse and worse because no one maintained it," he charged. Daniel has a deep, ugly scar on his left kneecap from an injury he said he sustained in another "exposed nail" accident at the park.
"The maintenance staff only cares about the graffiti," he said, echoing the comments of others.
"It's the only park we have," said skateboarder Richard Ramos, 18, of Great Kills, a student at the College of Staten Island. "I've been riding here since it opened, and it's not maintained."
"There are holes everywhere, and nails sticking up that we cannot fix ourselves. They need to fix it, and reopen it because the whole park is destroyed," added his friend, Anthony Pero of Grasmere, also 18, and a graduate of Richmondtown Prep.
"It's all falling apart, and they barely fix it," chimed in Igor Ehretskyy, 15, a sophomore at New Dorp High School who lives in Midland Beach and has been skateboarding in the park for almost three years. "The people who built this park don't care. All they care about is locking it up, and closing up the holes in the fence."
INJURY
Almost everyone present agreed that the surface conditions in Soto Park are such that it is the skateboarders — not BMX and scooter riders — who are most at risk of injury from exposed screws, and uneven, deteriorated surfaces.
"We're scared that we're going to get hurt," said Jeremie Agiazarian, 16, a junior at New Dorp High School who has been skateboarding for seven years and, like others, has used the park since it opened.
James Uttero, 16, of Annadale, a student at Tottenville High School, was injured in the park. The accident happened about a year ago, he said, when he fell on an exposed nail. He showed the area of his left palm that he said required a dozen stitches, and remains clearly swollen.
"I've been using this park since I was 11 years old," he said. "The park is used daily — kids use it year-round. They (the Parks Department) don't do anything, except paint over the graffiti. Then the paint flakes up, and they repaint, and the surface becomes more slippery and dangerous."
Daniel Navarro, 16, who lives in the Park Hill section of Clifton and attends McKee High School, has been skateboarding for the past four years. "I learned to skate in this park," he said proudly. "But it just got worse and worse because no one maintained it," he charged. Daniel has a deep, ugly scar on his left kneecap from an injury he said he sustained in another "exposed nail" accident at the park.
"The maintenance staff only cares about the graffiti," he said, echoing the comments of others.
Read More:
Staten Island Advance - November 17, 2010 - Virginia N. Sherry
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