On a recent summer's day when the temperature hovered around 90 degrees, a local grandmother slowly worked her way around the perimeter of the Cloquet Skate Park as her eight-year-old twin granddaughters rode their bikes over the tantalizing series of ramps and jumps. The family dog was tethered to the leg of a nearby picnic table. The woman held an open plastic garbage bag in her hands, and as she walked along, she repeatedly stooped to pick up the garbage and litter left by heedless patrons of the park who not only didn't care - but who intentionally bypassed the trash barrels provided there.
The rubble and refuse left there was disgusting - plastic one-liter drink bottles, empty cigarette packages, chewing tobacco tins and broken glass.
No one should have to do what she did in order for her granddaughters to have a place to play that's clean and safe. And yet, there she was - and one would have to admit it was nice to see small children enjoying the park in addition to the older teens who most often patronize it. It is, after all, a city park.
Nine years ago, when a passionate group of young skateboarders and their parents lobbied long and hard before the city council for the creation of the park, it was easy to believe in their cause and their mission. They wanted a place where skateboarders could channel their energies in a fun and challenging way without infringing on anyone else's space.
And so, the skate park came to be, and it's seen a lot of use since then. Admittedly, over that time it's seen its highs and lows. Sometimes, younger children have cried "foul" to their parents because older, tougher kids have reportedly scared them away from the park.
ADVERTISEMENT
Occasionally, there have been reports of questionable behavior, and the police have been called in. More frequently, area property owners have complained to the city about the condition of the park itself. But there are also many for whom the skate park has been a real asset during those long summer days with nothing to do.
And while the city is technically responsible for the park's upkeep, the ultimate responsibility lies with those who use it - and how badly they want to see it remain.
Right now, unfortunately, that appears to fall largely on the shoulders of a local grandmother.
Wendy Johnson
