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Residents, students urge council to prioritize replacement skate park during public comment
Summary
Multiple speakers during public participation urged Oxford council to prioritize a replacement for the closed skate park; staff and council said staff convened meetings and will consider budget and feasibility study results before next steps.
At the start of the meeting's public participation period, several residents and student government representatives spoke in favor of replacing the city's closed skate park and thanked parks and recreation staff for public outreach.
Roxanne Rinales, a resident of South Locust Street, told council she "highly commend[ed] Chad Smith, director of parks and rec, for the wonderful effort he put into calling meetings" related to the skate park and thanked council for looking at budget options while a feasibility study and strategic plan are prepared. "I truly appreciate it," Rinales said of the public meetings.
A student government representative, who identified themselves as the secretary of community engagement, relayed messages from students who could not attend the public sessions and said they would "love to see a skate park replacement" and asked for collaboration on planning. The student also raised separate concerns about sidewalk lighting near campus and invited council and candidates to a nonpartisan student-hosted candidate forum.
Long-time user Mark Walsh described the skate park's role in welcoming a broader demographic and stressed the importance of its current site — between the middle and high schools — for access by youth who do not drive. "For those kids who don't have a car, then the location may be key," Walsh said.
Chad Smith, director of parks and recreation, later thanked council and the public for engagement during the process that led to the park's closure and said staff will continue to solicit public input as planning and improvements move forward.
Councilors and staff stated they have considered budget options to address skater needs in the short term while staff await a final feasibility study and strategic plan for the city's tri-park system. Council and staff said they would consider the study's findings and potential budget allocations in future discussions.
Why it matters: The public comments reflect local demand for youth recreation infrastructure and underscore access concerns for students who walk or do not drive. Council and staff signaled further study, budget considerations and public engagement will guide whether and where the city will invest in a replacement.
