Candidates for Dana Point City Council answer the next in a series of questions
By Andrea Swayne
The Dana Point Times City Council election series continues this week with the answers from the nine candidates to question number three out of five.
Their answers will run weekly through Oct. 24.
The answers to question three are below, presented in an order not yet used for publication of candidates’ answers.
Question three: Are you in support of or opposed to the creation of a skate park in the city? Why or why not?
Jody Payne
Our youth in Dana Point deserve the best recreational facilities possible. A skatepark would be a terrific amenity to add to the long list of our kids’ recreational options in this city. At the top of the list is the Pacific Ocean and Dana Point Harbor, two stunning recreation locales that most cities can only envy from afar.
A safe, accessible and fun skatepark requires specific features to thrive. At a minimum, a successful skatepark must have easy public transportation access, must be large enough to safely accommodate many kids at a time, and must be located far enough from homes to mitigate noise and other adverse impacts. The City Council has recently focused on two potential locations: South Coast Water District’s 30 acres and Doheny State Beach. The water district property is unlikely. Those lots are already earmarked for other uses, including a potential desalination plant. Doheny State Park appears to be the more viable option, but the state of California must obviously cooperate.
Our skateboarding families want a skatepark. While this type of project is a tall order due to its many inflexible requirements, it is worthy of discussion and I welcome the opportunity.
Joe Muller
A skate park is a great idea for our residents. I will fully support a new facility as long as we can find space that doesn’t impact residential neighborhoods.
Chuck Rathbone
I am not opposed to the skateboard park, so long as the city has satisfactorily addressed location, cost, and safety. At a recent City Council meeting, the City Manager was tasked with investigating options for this project. I look forward to hearing the pros and cons of any available options that are presented.
Ryan Divel
I am completely AGAINST a skatepark for the City of Dana Point!
Ha ha … I just figured I’d go the opposite direction of the way the candidate bandwagon is heading. I think I covered this is my last question, but I am pretty sure I am the only candidate that currently skates or would even understand the process of building a skatepark. But let me reiterate as this issue I helped create gains momentum—20 years in the action sports industry give me the connections to get this skatepark built at a ZERO NET COST for our city.
The real problem is location. Many like this idea but don’t want it built near their neighborhood. Concerts and barking dogs are fine, but the idea of hooligan skateboarders is frightening. Come on, this is a whole new century and my 9-year-old daughter is no troublemaker. She’s exactly the kind of Dana Point resident who deserves a convenient and safe skatepark in her community.
At least we have a unilateral showing of support on this issue. The real deal is going to be who actually DOES SOMETHING to make it happen!
www.Divel4DP.com #DPCommonSense
Alan Wickstrom
I support building a skatepark in Dana Point.
When elected, I will work to get a skatepark into the lives of our city’s youth and to determine the best locations. Our city’s own surveys have shown that skateboarding is among the top sports activities of our city’s youth and that a skatepark is a need that comes up frequently during past parks and recreation needs workshops and other vehicles of community input.
There are many funding options for a skatepark, both public and private. We should explore all possibilities, including joint use opportunities to fill this need.
But the big question is WHERE this skatepark should go in our town. I will work with city staff and residents to determine suitable locations, such as building a world-class skatepark at Doheny State Beach or the Water District. This would surely be a draw for both area youth and tourists alike.
Some have suggested that a skatepark be built in Sea Terrace Park. I do NOT support building a skatepark in Sea Terrace Park as the council designated this as a passive park back in 2008 and Sea Terrace Park will remain a passive park under my watch.
Learn more at www.AL4DP.com/issues.
Nancy Jenkins
Yes, I support a skatepark in Dana Point. I have worked with students in various capacities during my entire professional career and I believe for them to be well-rounded people, they should pursue academics, sports and constructive leisure time. For those skateboarding youth, a designated area would provide a welcome and creative outlet.
The question for our nearly built-out city is, where could it be located, and equally important is how will it be funded, operated and maintained, given the need for strict budgeting? There are examples of public/private partnerships for funding, such as the etnies Lake Forest Skatepark.
I am impressed by the activism and outreach undertaken by advocates for a park, including Brandon Phillips, founder of Skatepark of Dana Point, and look forward to their continuing efforts.
Richard Viczorek
One of the leadership traits required of Marine Corps officers is courage. This includes not only physical courage, but moral courage as well. Leaders must have the moral courage to make and explain difficult and unpopular decisions.
The reality is that Dana Point is geographically small and has limited suitable locations for a skatepark on city land. However, the City Council has currently directed the city’s staff to explore the possibility of other jurisdictions providing assistance on this issue, a course of action which I support.
But before supporting the substantial expenditure of public funds associated with building and maintaining a skatepark, many questions still need to be answered. In addition to the main question of where it would be located, we must also ask: How much will it actually cost to construct? What are the additional associated costs for parking? How much would it cost to secure and maintain the property? How much liability would the city incur for insurance and potential law suits? What are the projected economic offsets and benefits? Is this a project which could be privately rather than publicly financed?
Exercising leadership requires answers to these questions before moving forward on this issue.
www.voteviczorek.com
Harold Kaufman
I am in complete support of creating a skateboard park in the city.
Although some may think this is a new issue, it has actually been around since at least 2001. That was when I led the campaign on the City Council to establish the Youth Board and the board’s first recommendation was that we should build a skateboard park. I have been in favor ever since.
There is only one place in Dana Point where a skateboard park can be built and not be a bother to any residents. That is on the Water District’s 30 acres. I will work with the Water District Board to come up with a plan that is mutually agreeable and advantageous.
The youth of Dana Point have always been important to me. That is why I established the Youth Board and supported building the Sports Park at Dana Hills High School, the tot lots at Creekside Park and Shipwreck Park, why I served on the Ocean Institute Board for 18 years and why I was an AYSO referee for close to 20 years when I had no kids playing soccer.
A safe, secure place for kids to skate is long overdue.
John Tomlinson
I am not opposed to a skatepark in Dana Point. At the last City Council meeting, staff was tasked with reaching out to neighboring districts including Doheny State Park and San Juan Capistrano. I would consider the input of other cities as well, to see if there is any interest in a regional skatepark. I think that the best way to achieve the construction of it is through private funding and donations. Another way to accomplish this goal would be to allow private enterprise to construct and operate the skatepark. I am, however, opposed to locating it in the Sea Terrace Community Park.
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