ROCKLAND, Maine — A city public services crew and high school students have joined forces to restore a nearly 15-year-old skate park that is in disrepair.
Public Services Director David St. Laurent said he had been asked recently to inspect the park by someone concerned about its condition.
“It was neglected and dilapidated,” St. Laurent said. “But kids were still using it.”
He said the easy thing to have done would have been to remove the remaining ramps at the park, but he knew that would not be the right thing to do.
“Kids need a place to do things and be kids,” he said.
Rockland leases the land where the skate park is located from the school district. The facility is located on the grounds of Oceanside High School.
St. Laurent contacted the school to inform it of the upcoming repairs, and he was told there were students who would volunteer their time to scrape and paint the newly repaired and restored ramps.
Teacher Scott Browning said this was a way for the young people to give back to the school and the community.
Much of the supports for the ramps and the decking had to be replaced.
Taking a break to watch the work Wednesday was Cathy Dinsmore who works for the lunch program at the school. Her son Dustin Dinsmore was one of the students of the 3B Club (bicyclers, bladers and boarders) who spearheaded the effort to have the skate park built.
The park was built in 2002 after four years of planning and fundraising by the students and community groups in Rockland. MBNA was the largest benefactor for the project, donating $200,000 for its construction. The Rockland Kiwanis also was a sponsor of the project.
The park was one of the most heavily used recreation facilities when it started.
In 2013, the city tore down a large section of the park that had not been maintained since its construction.
Public services expected the restoration would be done with another two days of work.