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Skateboarders, residents urge Hartford to reopen Heaven Skate Park, relax vehicle restrictions
Summary
Dozens of skaters, artists and residents told the City of Hartford council during public comment that the downtown Heaven Skate Park should remain open to people and vehicle access, and asked that the city address maintenance, lighting and permit rules rather than close the facility after dark.
At a City of Hartford public comment session, skateboarders, artists and residents urged the council to reopen and keep accessible the downtown Heaven Skate Park, which speakers said has been locked to vehicles and intermittently closed after dark under city park rules.
The callers, many of them longtime users of the park, said the site provides free recreation and a place for artistic events and warned that locking it would push young people into less safe locations. “That park is everything to me. It's a historical landmark,” said Deandre Grim D. Brown, who identified himself as affiliated with BLM and as executive director of Hall of Angels Music. Brown said the park has drawn skaters from across Connecticut and beyond for more than a decade.
The speakers pointed to three main fixes they want instead of closure: reliably available parking near the park to support events and safe departures, improved cleanup and lighting, and more transparent, streamlined permitting for small art or community pop-ups. “Keeping the park open gives skaters a designated area to skate rather than the street,” said Phoebe Sabek, 17, who described traveling to Heaven since age 13 and urged the council to avoid permanent or nightly lockouts.
City officials on the dais said the enforcement cited by speakers stems from the city's dusk-to-dawn parks ordinance, which closes parks at night unless a special-event waiver has been granted. Council members noted the Department of Public Works and the chair of recreation and parks have been consulted and offered to follow up with staff to explore options.
Speakers described the park as largely self-policing and tied to murals and music events: “We monitor it ourselves. People who've been there and grew up have monitored ourselves,” said one participant. Several asked the Hartford Parking Authority and Department of Public Works to consider making a small number of vehicle spots available adjacent to the park for events, and urged allowing small paint or art events without the full special-event permit process because transporting supplies can be difficult for low-income participants.
Council members acknowledged the concerns and said they would pursue follow-up conversations with staff. Council President Shirley Surgeon thanked the group and said she hoped the council could identify ways to alleviate enforcement problems while maintaining safety. No council action or vote occurred during the public comment period.
Speakers and advocates also urged better maintenance: repeated requests included regular glass pickup, reliable lighting after dark, and clearer public information about when vehicle access is allowed. Several speakers emphasized the park's regional draw, noting visitors arrive by public transit.
The public comment period closed with the council indicating staff would follow up with event organizers and the Department of Public Works about the dusk-to-dawn enforcement and parking concerns.
