Skatepark project put on hold by Rogers City Kiwanis

Plans to construct a skatepark facility in Rogers City have been put on hold by the Kiwanis Club. The service organization was in the investigative stages of the project, making presentations to the Rogers City Council, Rogers City Area Schools Board of Education and the Rogers City Parks Commission. The group was looking at, as the preferred site, a portion of the city-owned tennis courts on school property, between the Rogers City High School and Rogers City Elementary buildings.

?We?re going to do a little more investigating,? said Dick Peacock, Kiwanis board president. ?It?s going to be on the back burner until we get some more information.? Kiwanis is not abandoning the project, just setting it aside to look at other options. ?There?s a little controversy about things, and we want to get that settled down first, and then we?ll decide what direction we want to go,? said Peacock.

THE PRE-ENGINEERED skatepark would have covered two of the six tennis courts. Kiwanis is awaiting results of a survey which was being conducted by members of the RCHS Key Club. Kiwanis members are very interested in the results, to see how well-received the facility would be with the youth in the community. ?We?re going to shoot for some grants hopefully, which won?t happen this year,? said Jim Sinclair, Rogers City councilman/Kiwanis member.

Sinclair said if the skatepark is not built at the tennis courts it?s going to cost an extra $10,000 to $12,000 for asphalt and Ki

wanis doesn?t have the money. Fellow councilman Karl Heidemann was disappointed to hear the project would be put on hold.

?I READ THE minutes from the Parks Committee and they were talking about going forward and people coming to talk to them about what a good thing it is,? Heidemann said. ?It?s the fastest growing sport in America. Cities all over the country are building these parks. There are two of them in Alpena and they don?t have the problems people fear. ?They?re good for the kids,? he continued. ?It?s a visible project. It?s a good organized activity for kids and it brings business into the community.?

Kiwanis has been involved in many community projects: the purchase of additional playground equipment at Lakeside Park, the annual Easter egg hunt, youth-centered activities during the Nautical Festival, the bike rodeo, and The Rock. Kiwanis remains committed to the youth of the community, Peacock said.