OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) -- — A group is trying to save a home-grown skate park on city property.
Monday, The Omaha Parks and Recreation Department took out all the skate ramps and rails that kids have been using for a couple of years.
For about the last two years, the Nebraska Public Skateparks Council and others built ramps and rails for riders to practice since the nearest skate parks are 7 miles away. The organization didn’t have an agreement with the city to use the tennis courts.
"It was really disheartening and sad to wake up this morning and see that they came in a day before our meeting to try to bridge the gap between the community, kids, and the city that they tore out all the kids’ skateboard ramps. These little tiny ramps they spent their time building and building a community around,” said Dave Nelson with the NE Public Skateparks Council.
The Omaha Parks & Rec Department says when they realized some of the skate equipment was being drilled into the park concrete without permission, they had to take it down. Also, a family donated money to improve the tennis courts.
“They're not something that you would buy, or a professional installer would install. they're what we would call home made, they're not up to code, and the legality and the liability issues that we would have would be tremendous if somebody would get hurt,” said Brook Bench, Director of the Omaha Parks & Rec Dept.
The group will meet with the parks department on Tuesday to discuss what will happen with those temporary ramps and what could be done here in the future, possibly a permanent skate park.
