Residents, volunteers ask Manteca to find permanent space for Central Valley Skaters

Central Valley Skaters representatives asked the Manteca City Council on Aug. 19 to help secure a permanent, family-friendly space for recreational roller skating in the city.

The skaters, led by Andrew Barton, said they have been meeting at the Center Street tennis courts and want a place the whole family can use together. "Adults and children can't play basketball at the same time. Adults and children can't play soccer at the same time. But everyone can roller skate together," Barton said.

The request matters to council members and residents because proponents said skating draws diverse age groups, encourages physical activity and can support other downtown events. Charles Paz, president of the Downtown District, proposed making Tuesday nights a recurring downtown community skate event at the tennis courts by the library to attract families and local businesses. "When you're consistent, you can have people know they're gonna be skating," Paz said.

Other speakers described how skating increases foot traffic downtown and can pair with existing amenities such as the community garden, food trucks and music nights. Volunteer leader Valerie Ford said the group can lend equipment and teach beginners; Rachel Salinas described her 10-year-old's enthusiasm after trying skating for the first time.

City staff told the council the skaters will meet with Parks and Recreation staff next week and that staff will follow up with city leadership. A council member also noted the city manager and staff will explore potential city-owned sites that could be used on an interim basis. No formal council motion or budget appropriation was taken at the meeting.

Supporters asked for a mix of short-term and long-term options — weekly use of existing courts, interim use of undeveloped city lots and study of a permanent, paved skating surface. At the Aug. 19 meeting staff said the group already is scheduled to meet with recreation staff and that a staff member, Randy, will follow up with the city manager the following week to report back on options.

The council did not take a formal vote on the request; a staff follow-up and a meeting between the skaters and Recreation staff were the immediate next steps.

Local context: proponents said about 16 skaters used two tennis courts during recent meetups and asked for as little as three hours a week of dedicated time. Community members suggested Tuesday evening programming in the downtown library-park area to maximize family attendance and to pair with existing events such as Music on Maple.