WILTON — A new committee charged with finding a solution for the town’s skateboard park will meet at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at the town office, Recreation Director Frank Donald told selectmen this week.

The meeting is not limited to the original group that agreed to serve on the committee and deal with options for the skateboard area at Kineowatha Park. It is open to all residents with ideas or interest in keeping the park open, he said.

After receiving a number of complaints about foul language used by some participants, trash left behind, speeding, vandalism smoking, and the use of park picnic tables and trash cans for ramps, the Recreation Committee met earlier this month to discuss options, including closing the skateboard park.

The result was the formation of a committee to work on solutions over the winter, he said. 

“It may be something that not everyone agrees on but everyone can live with,” he said. “Doing nothing is not an option. The (skateboard) equipment won’t go out next spring if we don’t come up with something.”

The paved space near the Recreation Office is cleared and used for a skating rink over the winter months.

Closing the skateboard area is one option but not necessarily the best one, Donald said. Some skateboarders and parents attended the earlier meeting with suggestions, including asking skaters to pay a $20 to $30 fee that would go toward supervising users, he told selectmen. Participants in the town’s swim and other programs pay for the opportunity. Parents indicated a preference for paying the fee and hiring supervision rather than taking it on themselves.

Some issues have developed from young people who are not even there to skate, he said.

Selectman Paul Gooch agreed that the issue is bigger than the skateboard park and is the same in schools and other places. Kids behave better when there is supervision, he said.

“The skateboarders need to take ownership of the park,” Donald said.

The committee includes Recreation Committee members, Donald, parents and a couple skateboarders, but more input is sought and others are welcome Sunday night, he said. 

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