Skate Park Closed Over Noise Complaints
The park, which is located off the Newtown Bypass behind Staples, will reopen once the noise issue is addressed.
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Newtown Township has temporarily closed its municipal skate park due to noise complaints from residents of the Tyler Walk community, officials said Wednesday.
The skate park, located off the Newtown Bypass behind Staples, opened in October but recent complaints of excessive noise have prompted the township to shut it down until the issue can be resolved.
In the meantime, officials say they’re working to remedy the noise that neighbors say is loud, disruptive, and “a nightmare,” according to one resident.
At Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Township Manager Joe Czajkowski said one option for addressing the noise is to add panels and insulation to the ramp structures. “That hopefully will mitigate the noise,” he said.
But not everyone is so sure that it’s going to be that simple.
Jesse Clayton, a Langhorne resident and owner of a skate park design company, said there are a few factors the township should consider before adding to the existing prefabricated ramps. Any addition to the ramps may compromise the warranty, Clayton pointed out. From his experience as owner of Fifth Pocket, Clayton said boxing in the ramps would result in another, perhaps louder, noise.
“Once you enclose (the ramps), you’ll have echoing. It’s going to perpetuate,” Clayton said.
That’s not exactly what Tyler Walk residents were hoping to hear. More than a dozen turned out to the meeting to express their concerns about the noise from the park.
Tyler Walk resident Sean Cardonick said he was pleased the park was closed but added that’s just a temporary solution to a long-term problem. “Thank you for closing it temporarily but now we have a permanent issue. When is enough, enough over a skate park?”
Cardonick said he has concerns about the township spending money on the park. “How much money are we going to sink into this? It’s a skate park,” Cardonick said.
The park cost nearly $100,000 to construct, with about a third of the money coming from community contributions. Parks and Recreation Department fees were used to pay for the bulk of the expenses.
Cardonick suggested that the park be relocated. “Why not relocate it to the municipal area where we have police? It was a poor decision to put it where it is. Where it’s located is not doing anybody any good.”
Supervisors Chairman Rob Ciervo said throughout the years of research completed when planning the park, sound was never raised as an issue. Furthermore, he added, the park’s location was selected after careful thought and consideration.
“We talked for years about different locations. Anywhere in Newtown that we decided to put it would have been near a residential area,” Ciervo said.
Supervisor Mike Gallagher agreed that the park is noisy. He said he stopped by the skate park over the weekend “and it was like I was in a rifle range. It was loud.”
Gallagher said closing the park and assessing a way to remedy the noise “is a good first step.”
In addition to boxing in the ramps, other suggestions for quelling the noise included adding a vegetative berm to intercept and muffle the noise. Clayton also suggested erecting a skatable concrete berm, an idea the supervisors seemed open to exploring.
However, cost will be an issue. A vegetative berm may work but only if large, mature trees are used, Czajkowski pointed out. “Those trees are a couple hundred bucks each.”
Supervisor Phil Calabro said while there might never be a perfect solution, a happy medium needs to be reached.
“Unless skateboard wheels are made of foam, they’re still going to make some noise,” Calabro said. While there are ways to muffle the sound, “I don’t think dead silence is going to happen.”
While noise was the main reason for closing the park, Ciervo said there is also a structural issue with one of the ramps, which were purchased from the American Ramp Company. A nut or bolt was found missing from one ramp, he said, which needs to be addressed before the park is reopened.
“We just have to take it one step at a time here,” Ciervo said.
Kelly
9:22 am on Thursday, March 24, 2011
The bypass runs between the skatepark and Tyler walk. You want me to believe that the kids are making more noise than the cars and trucks passing by? That's ridiculous. These kids are staying out of trouble, take the park away and hopefully they start loitering in Tyler walk.
Ray
10:18 am on Thursday, March 24, 2011
This is absolutely ridiculous. There is a 5 lane highway and large tracks of land in between the skate park and Tyler Walk. These people are clearly just upset that money was spent on the skate park and now that it is constructed and built they decide to say that it is too noisy. I don't understand how you can shut down the park at the expense of hundreds of kids over the complaints of 10 cranky residents. Bad government!
k
12:03 pm on Thursday, March 24, 2011
seriously - they are concerned about the noise from the skate park... how about the noise from the dozen shopping centers and restaurants right next to the park ??? Oh, the skate park does nothing to benefit them, unlike shopping centers and restaurants. Gotcha...makes sense. Gotta love Newtown, some people only care if it affects them directly.
Kelly
12:50 pm on Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wahhhhhhh I hear kids having fun wahhhhhhhhhhhh
Eric
3:39 pm on Thursday, March 24, 2011
"a nightmare" "sounds like a rifle range" ???? Hahaha. Oh dear, these are great examples..if you're describing a war scene. I saw a man reading a book next to the skatepark the other day. He certainly had no problem with the noise. Also, what are you hearing that sounds like a rifle shot? If these ramps, rails and mini pipes are used correctly they shouldn't be loud at all. I understand the residents home is very close to the park and their sanctuary of peace and quiet is at risk but c'mon people. It's spilt milk.
Ian
8:05 pm on Thursday, March 24, 2011
I simply say for all those who want to make some noise about this issue, every time you drive by the skateboard park honk your horn as loud as possible - suck on that Tyler Walk.
2013
9:14 am on Sunday, March 27, 2011
In Newtown Grant, we live accross from a real Firing Range, you don't hear us crying !
Jennifer Sobusiak
9:26 am on Monday, March 28, 2011
Unbelievable, The Bypass, the multiple shopping centers, the 18 wheelers, the cars speeding down the bypass, thats n0t noise?? I can't believe they shut down the skate park. Does the township not hear the noise in that area? They are really concerned with skatebard ramps and the wheels on the skateboard making noise. Its spring, Kids are ready to get out there and have fun. They built it for kids to have fun. If it were a playground and there were little kids screaming would they shut that down too. How dare those people complain and how dare the township close the skatepark. BOOO on Newtown Township. I am a taxpayer and I think this is very unfair!!!
Nick
9:00 pm on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
This is ridculous. There is a FIVE lane bypass between the skatepark and Tyler walk. People of Tyler walk if you are reading this you are being ridiculous!! If you close the park there will be more people skating in Newtown. I have been to the skatepark and yes it is noisy but, what do you expect. You cannot have complete silence while skateboarding. There will always be noise. Alot of people like the skatepark and dont want it to be closed.
Andrew
4:15 am on Saturday, April 2, 2011
So these Tyler Walk residents feel victimized because they have to deal with the externalities of a skate park? How about this? I've lived in this town for decades, and I never much liked Tyler Walk. Those houses are an ugly eyesore. None of the townspeople were consulted about whether we wanted another space-gobbling, ugly housing development with all the extra traffic and strain it places in public utilities. If I were a jerk, I'd move to have that development closed down until some better, more out-of-my-way place could be found to relocate it to. But I'm not a jerk and I recognize that people need some place to live, and eventually, you have to share the land and make compromises. By the same token, kids need to have something to do in this town, and they need somewhere to do it. Without that skate park, there is virutally NOTHING for kids to do in Newtown. That spot is an excellent place for it because it's in a central location that kids can reasonably easily get to (it being near two schools) without requiring a car. If the sakte park is the source of a little noise (I've heard it -- it's not bad at all and since there are no lights, it ends by the time night falls) then these whiney jerks will just have to learn to accept it, just like I had to learn to accept that their development was going to rob my town of another part of its agricultural heritage.
Andrew
4:24 am on Saturday, April 2, 2011
One more thing -- the vegetative sound barrier is probably the most cost-effective solution, I agree. It could be made much cheaper by having it planted correctly (i.e. not by landscapers who only seem to know how to kill plants with excessive quantities of mulch). Young, native trees, when planted correctly, should grow about four feet per year around here, so they can be quite small when planted and provide an effective sound barrier quite quickly. Intersperse some native bushes between the trees (ones that will form symbiotic relationships with their tree neighbors) and you will have a very nice barrier in no time, and since they will be native species, they will require absolutely no maintenance whatsoever. I'm sure the Bowman's Hill Flower Preserve people would love to offer guidance on this.
Autumn Thomas
7:11 am on Saturday, April 2, 2011
Agreed. A vegetative barrier works only if it is carefully planned. Density of the vegetation and dense planning is the key to making it work. And the closer it is planted to the source of the noise the more effective it will be. Using a multi-layered approach - from the ground on up to the canopy - and the right size (ie. length along the park), will make all the difference. It doesn't just have to be mature, large trees -- that likely will not grow properly anyway b/c of improper planting and care!
Steven
9:46 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
I am an organic farmer and currently studying permaculture. If you would like a plant barrier please contact me. I grew up in Newtown before there were sidewalks connecting all of the areas of town. I understand these sensitive issues and would gladly be a part of reopening the skatepark. Contact blkbrdmdws@gmail.com
Ballzonya
11:48 am on Thursday, May 12, 2011
This is an outlandish monstrosity!! I've lived in Newtown my whole life. There is always someone
trying to ruin a good thing. These kids finally got a nice park to ride and keep them away from drugs
and negativity. A major highway runs between the park and the development and these people cry
and whine because they want to try to control what they don't like. I say the committee invests in
pacifiers for the residents!
2013
10:10 pm on Friday, May 13, 2011
HA-HA, Brian I like your thinking.
Rick
4:22 pm on Monday, May 23, 2011
Hi
My name is Rick and I've been involved in the skateboard industry for over 20 years now and I've read articles like this over and over in community papers. I'd like to see a comment or response from Sean Cardonick and Mike Gallagher. Mike, per your statement of complaint above, you stated “How much money are we going to sink into this? It’s a skate park" Mike, let me ask you a question. How much did the softball fields behind Newtown Elementary, off of rte 413 cost?
I know the number. Do you? I can see Mike Gallagher is NOT a fan of skateboarding probably because he doesn't understand the skateboard culture or the positive impact a skate park has on a community. Mike, the traffic on that section of rte 413 isn't quiet and by your remarks above and misunderstanding of skateboarding, I can see you have a chip on your shoulder with skate boarding, but that's your problem. I'm sure Mr. Gallagher wouldn't be complaining if Newtown constructed a golf course across from his estate. I think you're missing the point. These parks are constructed to give kids purpose and get them involved in something positive.
Mike, leave you're one horse town of Newtown for a day or two and take a flight out to Southern California, Florida, Arizona or any other state. These communities support skateboarding and the positive impact the skate park gives back to the youth.
Mike, try focusing on the positive impact the skate park has on the community rather than thinking of himself.