On September 11, 2003, an article in the News Journal reported that an available lot, owned by Mike McGee, would be used for a new skatepark in Milford. McGee decided to offer the land after watching children skateboarding on homemade ramps made of boards. McGee organized a group of parents, skateboarders and city officials to work on the problem and the result was a new skatepark they planned to open in the spring of 2004.
“It was kind of a sad setting,” McGee was quoted as saying then. “They are usually a nice group of kids. Through prayer, I felt the Lord felt there was more for His kids.”
McGee was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church and had no idea how to skateboard when he began helping to plan the park. It was not the first time the idea of a skatepark had come up in Milford as there was constant discussion of what to do with children skateboarding in the streets, on the railings of city buildings and on sidewalks. Plans for the parks always fell through due to concerns about liability.
With the city moving the water department from the center of town, there was now a fenced area donated to use as a park, where Memorial Park stands today. A video camera on the property provided a direct feed to the Milford Police Department.
“It’s kind of midtown, convenient for everyone,” then-Mayor, the late Ronnie Rogers, said.
The group received a $35,000 grant from the state to buy equipment. Skateboarders on the committee helped with a list of what equipment was essential. Skateboarders also made the rules to keep participants safe and liability insurance down. Rogers was quoted as saying that the skateboarders made good rules for themselves.
In order to skate in the park was required to register at the Parks and Recreation Department. If they were under 18, a parent had to register with them. All skateboarders signed a waiver that they would not hold the city liable of they were injured. They were also required to wear protective helmets and padding at all times.
Volunteer parents and city employees patrolled the area, but the park was free and self-regulating. Then-Parks and Recreation Director Gary Emory hoped to have the skateboarders assist in raising funds to keep the park going. The grant would not cover all the cost of equipment which was then estimated at $50,000.
The skateboarders were not opposed to the rules or helping out as the park took away their outlaw status. Milford had an ordinance banning skateboarding in the downtown business area.
“There is nowhere to skate and nowhere to do the tricks you want,” Dylan Gaffney, then 12, who had to travel to Berlin, Maryland, to skate, said. “You think you are allowed to skate somewhere but then people start complaining.”
Kyle Kashner, then 15, agreed. Kashner practiced in front of his home on makeshift ramps and was one of the children McGee saw in the parking lot of the church. He stated that kids had to “sneak around to skateboard.” Danita LeGrand, then 11, hopes the park will allow her to hone her skills. She sometimes skated in front of her house, but constantly worried about being hit by a car.
The park officially opened in April 2004. The park was initially open five days each week and caters to skateboarders, but stunt bicyclists were also enjoying the ramps.
“We thought the park was a good way to keep the skateboarders safe by giving them a place off the street,” Emory was quoted as saying after the park opened. “But we also got a lot of interest from the BMX bikers and worked with them to develop a park both could use.”
However, the positivity of the park was short-lived. In May 2004, Emory threatened to shut down the park as skateboarders were not following the rules. According to Emory, parents were not living up to pledges to police the park.
“I sent out a letter, and it is being turned around,” Emory told council.
Almost 200 users had signed up with some coming to Milford as far away as Denton, Maryland. The letter sent by Emory spurred parents to be more conscientious about cleaning up the area.
At the time, the park was open seven days a week to skateboarders and in-line skaters. On Monday and Wednesday nights, the park was used by BMX bikers.
In June 2004, James Merriweather of the News Journal reported that Emory was threatening to shut down the skatepark, this time because users were not following safety requirements. Emory believed shutting down the park for a few weeks would send a message that the rules had to be followed
“Kids have improved on wearing their helmets and the safety equipment,” Michael McGee, who was the unofficial liaison between Emory and parents, said. “About 15 parents are unified in pushing for the skate park, but only six or seven became active in monitoring the park activities. I think parents have been encouraging them, but the kids are a little rebellious and take their helmets off when the parents are not around.”
No information could be found on when the skatepark actually closed in Milford, but comments made at recent city council meetings indicated the biggest reason it closed was because the participants would not follow required safety rules.
