im interested in starting a survey of those interested in havin a skate park in Miles city. If you or your kids have been to the nice one in billings on way up to airport, you'll see how many kids have something fun to do outside each day . I think our town would greatly benefit from structure for kids to hang out and express themselves in good way.
1st, off, think,... if we to get a list of people interested so i can, show the CITY that OUR TOWN has interest.
thanks for your support

YES YES YES!!!!! 100 times over

totally agree! my kids would love it!

I agree kids in miles city need something to do.. there is nothing here for kids to do in the summer..

My kids would love it but I think it would be good to combine that effort with Fun2U. The two could work together and share resources?

Good luck with that, kids. Let me help by suggesting you come up with a plan on how to police the place. Such as what the rules would be, who supervises it, what safety gear is required, are bikes allowed in it, how to deal with behavior problems, keeping it clean, etc.
'Cuz that's what gets such parks shut down after all the work to get them built in the first place. The Great Falls Tribune had an article the other day about their problems. Kalispell's is temporarily closed often because of vandalism, garbage, garbage mouths, smoking, drinking, assault, and disrespect for authority. We all know where to buy pills and pot, it's the skate park of course!
Next comes the fight over who gets to pay for it, and then who is responsible for medical bills when you get a boo boo. There will be lawsuits before and after the first broken wrist, believe me. Some of us have been through all this already, can you tell?
Good luck.

I'd love to see a skate park and would donate to help develop one as I have supported Fun2U and the recent stadium project. I don't have kids that would use it but it would give an activity to kids who aren't in sports, etc.
As far as negatives, find a skate park that works and copy it or adapt it to fit our situation. Don't reinvent the wheel.
This town is always coming up with ideas to help kids and the community but many fall short of their goal. People, we really need an independant board for a County wide park and rec district. Everybody gets taxed on it and the city can't make their excuses of liability, lack of money etc. Let's relieve the city of the expense and liability of the parks. If we have a common goal in sight to improve the community we can get through all the legal and jurisdictional hurdles and get it done.

I totally agree with the Parks and Rec district! I've seen it work in places larger and smaller than Miles City with pools, water parks, bike trails, bmx tracks and even skate parks.

Call Colstrip CPRD and talk to them about how they operate. They have very nice facilities.

Miles City would just shut it down! ! Just like everything else.

As long as the kids using it keep their pants pulled up!

This is something the city of Miles City is way behind on. People always view it negative and offer nothing but questions of doubt. Many cities have them and support them. It's easy to set up some ground rules for use. Make a suspension policy for the park when vandalism or crime happens and the kids police themselves. If it didn't work many other cities wouldn't have them.

lots of places do have them and support them and they do not get over run with drugs, alchol, ect... I would support it, I have 2 boys that would love to use it. One all the time. Working almost fulltime, and raising 3 kids keeps me from having tons of extra time, but I would help in some form or fashion. blessings on any effort!

If kids had some thing else to do they might not turn to drugs, like the Skate Park and a Folf course on the South end of Riverside Park. I also agree this town needs a Park and Recreation Committee instead of relying on the City Planning board! I volunteer.

thank you to all for your support, im going forward, . we'll see how far we get, Personally i think, we all need something Fresh in this town or our kids will have no future, they will turn to drugs , because right now that is what miles city offers, how sad... Im for change, ill keep you posted, thanks for all your ideas and support

If you don't build a skateboard park in Miles City this year, all of the children will end up as heroin addicts. Please, please get this done...for the children.

Not-uh, Gunnar. Only a tiny percentage of MC kids will go all the way to smack. The biggest percentage will yearn for the day they depart that town. Municipalities with jobs and homes and infrastructure and skate parks beckon, don't they? They will look back, and want better for their kids, you know they will. Meanwhile it is what it is, and kudos to those who are stepping up to try to improve that!

hi, this is stacy oyen, I've been asked to come and share my thoughts at city counsel meeting on JUNE14, tuesday, so i will take all comments posted here and feel free to call me951-2805, if you have anything else to share,PLEASE COME TO MEETING, to show support Im not a public speaker, im just a mom, tryin to start something FRESH for my kids , their friends and kids to come.
PLease let me know if you are able to come to the meeting, thanks
We need as many VOICES as possible so we have more of a chance to get this project approved.

Matt and Stacey, Two years ago I met with the mayor and some folks from the city concerning this very issue. I am a lifelong skateboarder and have documented hundreds of skateparks throughout the U.S. and Canada. If you are interested I have a Public Skatepark Development Guide circulated by the Tony Hawk foundation. This will take you step by step through the process. I also have notes from the meeting which occurred 12/1/2009. Prior to going before the Public Services Committee you might want to consider a "Skateboard Coalition" meeting consisting of as many upstanding Miles City folks as possible and circulate a petition to gather as many signatures to prove there is a demand for the facility. I backed of the project because we were expecting our first child and every piece of literature states that this process requires an abundance of personal time. Please don't be discouraged by haters, Glendive is well on their way to breaking ground on their new cement park. I hope to help in any way I can but I don't have a lot of spare time. Good lucks and thanks!

We have a very nice skate park where I live and it is RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE POLICE STATION. Perhaps there is a vacant piece of property somewhere near the po-po?

I'm all for it, BTW.

Tearing down that falling apart garage across the street from the county courthouse would be a great idea.

I say yes, yes! My boys would love that. Good luck!

Stacie Miller

hi, i think i remember you posting on miles city.com, last year did you speak to jerry dean, we r in touch with him, be so grateful for your knowledge and help, would you be able to come to meeting on june 14, thanks

thanks, ill mention that at meeting, also thinkin of desserted tennis courts off of riverside park area

What would it take to present a petition they would accept? I think you need to present solid public opinion for the park to the council. Of course, you know that they will balk on the expense. Have you talked to perhaps Eric Doeden? Maybe somehow you could get some donated cement for the base as they return with partial loads from jobs. I think the final pour would have to be at one time to avoid seams. Cement to cement won't adhere so it would have to be in appropriate place if there will be any. There are other benefactors in the city who have been most generous.
My grandsons use the Billings skate park and as I write the younger eight year old is on the way to Denver to skateboard. I would be glad to assist your endeavor. Maybe tables at grocery stores to collect signatures.

Check this out
http://www.alltecskatepar...index.html
they know their way around Montana pretty good already.
Notice they recommend such parks be professionally designed and pro built to get the best in performance and safety. We've seen some pretty bad homebuilt skatepark attempts. Valiant efforts yes, results rated FAIL. Waste of time.
Again, good luck!

Matt, to avoid reinventing the wheel I bumped my old thread for reference. In it, you will find a progression of ideas, a list of supporters, rebuttals to naysayers, and links to important sites like www.skatepark.org. At what time will the June 14th meeting occur? I would love to attend but I strongly encourage you to armor yourself with community support from: doctors, teachers, police officers, parents, and concerned citizens.

My kids would be interested in this. My daughter is currently training to get back on the National Roster for Judo (she was 3rd in the Nation last year) and she uses skateboarding and ripsticking for balance and core work. My boys would dig it as well.

I am planning on driving the day of your meeting, but I can ask my husband if he can attend, bringing support from the "Po-Po"

What time on June 14? Will be there

yes i would love help collecting signtures of \all, ill post spot for all to meet next week, ok thanks
Also i will not be asking for money ONLY PERMISSION for park on city property. I think we know enough helpful volunteers and WE as town people can raise donations for expenses

when is the petition
i'd sign

lets hope this works out the last time i heard something about this i heard all the money went to a stop light so i am crossing my fingers

this will happen when pigs fly . just like a town swimming pool that never will break ground. we need more things for our kids to do. and we wonder why kids get into trouble. the community needs to pull together and look to the future and that is our own kids.

hello, all .CITY COUNSEL MTG./JUNE14TH @7pm upstairs room at city hall, questions please call me @951-2805, PLEASE COME, tell your friends, family, co-workers, church, ALL WELCOME
PLUS i need help collecting signitures of all interested people, young or old in our community, on paper, so please contact me today or tomarrow, thanks, Like to set up table at reynolds for signitures and also a park or two would be great where lots of people come and go, Thanks for all your help

mrs.M,, please call me stacy @951-2805 about helping with sigutures, thanks, also anyone else willing be awesome, too, take petion paper to your work, have all interested sign, have your kids get their friends to sign as well thanks

Matt,
How did it go gathering signatures the other day? Did you get enough of a response to continue your efforts? Can you email me a copy of your petition?

"this will happen when pigs fly . just like a town swimming pool that never will break ground. we need more things for our kids to do. and we wonder why kids get into trouble. the community needs to pull together and look to the future and that is our own kids."

I couldn't agree more. Look at say, Missoula. Granted, it is a much larger city - but there are several pools and parks with splash pads and skate parks, etc. If Miles City had 1/10th the recreational opportunities as Missoula does for kids you'd have a happier community in my opinion. It takes money, though. Miles Citians ON WHOLE are not big on throwing money at community development (and please, people, don't take that out of context or to mean something other than what I intend it to mean).

Please, not that lame argument that if there were more entertainment for children, they wouldn't do drugs, have sex, vandalize restrooms and every other bad thing. If that were the case, then any big city would be free of problem children because there is so much entertainment available.

Support entertainment for children for their health and their good but don't pretend it will stop one child from doing drugs if they are inclined to do drugs or having sex if they are inclined to have sex. As for vandalism, check out the facility they built for the skate park in Billings that was repeatedly destroyed.

If the finances are there, build a pool or a skate park or a water slide but don't kid yourself it will prevent one good kid from going bad.

Amorette,
You are an intelligent person with insightful comments, but in this case you are displaying your tendency to be over opinionated. I whole-heartedly believe I am that one child spared by skateboarding. In my formidable years, I often called skateboarding my drug. Skating offers a child that did not groove with organized sports a chance to find focus, discipline, self confidence and acceptance. Skateboarding is no different than any other outside interests whether basketball, football, band or art. It is another tool to help one cope with the pressures of life. It is a tool not offered in Miles City. To the best of my knowledge, no facility in Billings has been "destroyed". I was just there a week ago. "SKATE OR DIE".

I agree that investment in our youth and their entertainment and recreation is a worthless cause which will have no impact on their futures.

why would anyone write that, STOP COMMENTING on this site

The skate park in Billings is still there. The restroom facility, last I heard, had been quite thoroughly destroyed even though it was supposed to be 'vandal-proof.'

Again, entertainment is great for kids but it will not stop the kid who wants to do drugs from doing drugs. Or having sex. Or vandalizing a rest room.

I would be delighted if the skate park or pool got built but I would also expect kids to keep doing drugs, having sex and vandalizing things because entertainment does not cure everything.

Its not a magic cure - but it isn't a wasted effort either.

Matt, I sure hope you're not talking to me. (If you are, your "sarcasm meter" isn't working)

[This message has been edited by Former (6/10/2011)]

hi, raven, i have my petition ready, I tried email you under your miles city.com site, do you not get mail there? can you email me with info, how far you got before, minutes, etc, thanks [email protected], thanks for your help

Reminder mtg.at city hall upstairs at 7pm, tues.june 14th!!!
Please come show support, Any who want to sign PETITION i'll have at mtg, thanks

Let's get down to brass tacks here. How much money are we talking about for a simple skate park? Remember there is up front cost as well as maintenance and liability insurance.