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Kids need skate park now
2 years ago | 929 views | 3 3 comments | 9 9 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Editor:

I attended the city council meeting regarding the skate park. First, to me, Councilman David Carabajal is skater enemy No. 1. I cannot understand why he does not support what the parks and recreation commission worked so hard to plan.

Months of planning has gone into this proposed site, which was Flournoy Park. The money is already there; why don’t you use it for the proposed skate park? Yes, we want the best for our kids. Yes, we would like a half-million dollar facility. Who wouldn’t?

Councilman Carabajal should know how hard it is right now to get money. Why would you want to postpone this process? God forbid something happen to one of our skaters while you are being hard-headed because you do not support the parks commission’s suggested site.

Man, the money is there; use it for the skate park. So what if it is too small for your standards; you don’t even skate. You have no clue as to where to start. Have you asked any of these kids what they want or what they need? I have, and it isn’t much. It isn’t half a million dollars.

You say you have been advising the parks commission on different topics. Well, why didn’t you submit the small city grant on time, back in January? You know why, because you were too busy arguing about the location. The location is so clear. Flournoy Park is the perfect site. I have not heard anybody oppose this site, except you, Councilman Carabajal.

This park downtown could be a city attraction, it could potentially draw a large crowd week in and week out. It is by the main shopping areas, all the restaurants and it is the most visible park in town. I encourage all citizens who support or do not support the skate park to get in touch with Mr. Carabajal, or any of the councilmen. Share your thoughts with them. Let them know where you stand.

I tell you where I stand, I stand for these kids and I stand for Flournoy Park. I stand for a park right now, not three years down the road.

Ben Puente Jr.
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Comments
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gran-t
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March 24, 2009
Yes, I also remembeer having kids who's interest was freestyle bike riding and skateboards and they also had no where to go. Our solution was for me to give up my front yard and build our own. We did, and ya know what?, on a daily basis we had roller skaters, skateboarders, and more bikes. These kids are now in their 30's and it is their children who want to ride now. Come on already, we heard about a super Wal-Mart forever before it happened, let's get on with it. My grandkids want to play and if this gets put off much longer, I may not get the chance to see any of them enjoy a reason to play in their own hometown.
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corigirl73
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March 03, 2009
Sorry kids...Beeville has been promising a skate park for for the past 20 years. My brother is 30 now and he and his friends wanted a skate park two decades ago! Sorry kids, keep waiting. Maybe your children will be able to enjoy a skate park in your hometown. For now bring your cash to Corpus Christi, skate in our skate park, eat in our restaurants, gas up at our convenience stores and let your moms shop in our stores because Beeville is too backwards to ever move forward!
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Katryna
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March 02, 2009
I also don't understand why a skate park is being thrown to the back of everyone's minds. It may not seem like it now but that's exactly where it's going to end up by the time they're through with it. I've commented before that the number of skaters in Beeville is growing. And it was obvious when Ben Puente, Jr. held an event for them at his skate shop. It wasn't just a few kids, it was at least 25 to 30, maybe 40 kids, all trying their best. All showing those tricks they've been practicing for long hours every day before someone kicks them off their property. Why is it taking so long to find a grant and prepare it for submission? It only took me a few minutes to find two on the internet, geared toward helping build skateparks and recreational parks along with tips on fundraising and how to get the community involved. Look at the potential sitting there at Flournoy Park, it's wasted space. Quit looking at the negatives and find the positive in Flournoy Park. To make money you have to spend money, invest that money in a new park and skatepark at Flournoy Park. Businesses, please stop looking at our skaters as nuisances. It's not their fault that they have no where to go. Mr. Puente is trying his hardest to help give these kids a place to hang out, to learn , and to practice, and to show what they have. I thank you for that. But it shouldn't just be up to him. We are letting our kids down everytime the issue of the skatepark is thrown on the backburnere. I've heard community leaders and politicians in the past say they'll bring a skatepark to Beeville for our kids. Where is it? Where is their skatepark?
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