Skate Park is closed until spring

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PRINCETON — The Princeton Skate Park will be closed until spring due to vandalism.

At Tuesday’s meeting at the Bureau County Metro Center, the Princeton Park Board heard from Elaine Russell, executive director for the park district, and from Superintendent of Parks Keith Scherer about the on-going vandalism and littering problem at the skate park.

Scherer showed the park board pieces of heavy plastic caps broken from railings on the skate park equipment, damaged screws and the broken latch from the skate park’s entry gate. There has also been a problem with damaged posts in the fencing.

By looking at the heaviness of the broken pieces, it’s obvious the vandalism has been deliberate and not a natural wear-and-tear type of damage, Russell said.

Board member Dick Volker said it’s a shame the amount of damage that’s been done at the skate park, especially in light of grassroots effort led several years ago by Logan teacher Kaye Pearson and area young people to raise the needed money to buy the skate park equipment. It’s apparently just a few people who are ruining the skate park for everyone else, Volker said.

Board member Jan Milles agreed, saying the true skate boarders wouldn’t have damaged their skate park.

Located on the north edge of Alexander Park, the Princeton Skate Park was closed for one week in May due to bicycle use on the skate park and for another week in August due to vandalism. Earlier in the spring, the park board had to spend $14,000 in repairs to the skate park, with some of that damage blamed on bicycle use on the skate park equipment.

At Monday’s meeting, Russell said the equipment will not be repaired if the damage is not a safety hazard. The goal is still to provide the best skate park possible and to maintain the skate park, but the vandalism and damage has to stop, she said.

In other business at Monday’s meeting, the Princeton Park Board awarded the sale of $590,000 in general obligation bonds to Centrue Bank of Princeton, at an interest rate of 1.65 percent, with no registrar fee. The other bid received by the noon bid opening was from Citizens First National Bank, at a 2.3 percent interest rate, with a registrar fee.

A third bid was also received, but after the noon deadline, attorney Bob Russell said. All three bids were competitive and excellent bids, he said. The general obligation bonds must be repaid in 11 months.

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