BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
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Jason Eve, 16, of Middletown performs a jump off the steps of the First Presbyterian Church in Middletown.
(Gary Landers photos)
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MIDDLETOWN -- When Steve Eckhardt first started in-line skating, City Centre Plaza was his favorite spot to rumble across the parking lot and grind on the edges of curbs and benches.
But soon, no-skating signs went up. He and his friends moved on to a bank parking lot. Then a school. A supermarket and a church. All they wanted was a place to practice their in-line skating (also known as Rollerblading) and skateboarding.
They're still moving. And the wheeled daredevils say it is nearly impossible to find a place to do their trick skating moves without police or business owners running them off.
"We're Middletown's most wanted," said in-line skater Jason Eve, 16, of Baybrook Court, who has been among those pleading with the city to build a skate park in Middletown. "They act like we're criminals."
Middletown's conflict is becoming common across the nation. Routine recreational skating is not the problem. What is drawing fire from merchants and police is the so-called aggressive or "extreme" skating -- the fastest-growing youth sport in the country -- and to a lesser degree, skateboarding.
Aggressive skaters use ramps, rails, benches or steps to twist, turn, slide and flip in stunts known as "monkey plants" or "fish brains."
Businesses say skaters damage property by grinding on edges of steps, curbs and railings. Other complaints: The messy, slippery wax slathered on edges to enable better sliding ruins curbs and steps; and dozens of skaters zipping around parking lots frighten and endanger shoppers.
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Steve Eckhardt, 17, of Middletown does a handstand on a half-pipe ramp built in the backyard of Pam and David Drake.
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Confiscating boards
Problems in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Fairfield and Lebanon got so bad in the late 1980s that city councils passed laws limiting the skaters' space. Some even invoked no-trespassing laws to keep skaters off parking lots.
In recent years, communities have dusted off those laws as the in-line skating and skateboarding craze erupted.
There are an estimated 8 million in-line skaters in the country; nearly 40 percent of them are between 11 and 17 years old.
In Northern Kentucky earlier this year, Erlanger business owners, fed up with skateboarders' antics, asked the city to enforce skating bans on streets, sidewalks and business districts. Police cracked down, confiscated some skateboards and the problem ended. Regardless of skating bans, officials complain that skaters cannot resist the temptation offered by large parking lots or public spaces that challenge their "extreme" desires.
Middletown bans skating in City Centre Mall and its parking garage and plaza and other areas downtown.
But there's ample evidence of the wheeled youths in lots at First National Bank of Southwestern Ohio, and First Presbyterian Church, Central Avenue.
Temple Short, senior administrative assistant at First National, pointed out the chipped, cracked concrete blocks, the greasy, blackened edges of curbs and other surfaces marred by skater's wax, broken flower pots and graffiti.
"We have a lot of property damage," Ms. Short said. "They move huge concrete blocks into the drive-thru to make ramps to jump. They antagonize and intimidate customers. We're not anti-teen-agers, anti-fun. But we just don't want them harassing our customers." Employees found a message on their ripped down "no skateboarding" sign: If you'll build us a skate park, we'll leave.
Two weeks ago, First Presbyterian Church Youth Minister Dave Garrison asked kids to limit their skating to the parking lot and not grind on steps and rails.
"They're welcome to skate here, but their tricks cause property damage," Mr. Garrison said. "Last year we had to have more than half the marble steps and the handrails leading into the sanctuary replaced. They were damaged by skaters. We also worry about the skaters getting hurt. I know they're good kids and have no malicious intent. They're just looking for a place to skate, to have fun. I agree they need a skate park."
Shoppers, skaters clash
Several states -- including Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana -- have a handful of skate parks that are either private or city-owned. Norwood put up a small skating park inside a city park in mid-August, and a private park, Phase 3, opened in Sycamore Township in February.
But skating enthusiasts say it's not enough.
"There is a serious shortage of skate parks around the country," said Chris Hannemann, public relations director of the Aggressive Skaters Association (ASA) in Marina Del Rey, Calif. It is the worldwide governing body for aggressive inline skating.
"This is a problem around the country," he said, "and it's something that needs addressed."
Gary Ream, owner - director of Woodward Camp Inc., Woodward, Pa., the biggest skate park - camp in the world, said the problem is not new, but it's growing.
"It began when society thought the skating craze would go away," Mr. Ream said. "Kids have no place to skate. They're usually good kids. But when you have no place to skate, you skate on other people's property -- on benches, stairs, railings . . . sometimes breaking the law. We've created the problem because we haven't provided a place to skate."
In-line skating, he said, has been "transformed from a street sport to a spectacular television event. This is a national pastime that is not going to go away. It's growing daily."
Enforcing the law
Middletown skaters, including Steve Eckhardt and Jason Eve, say police have clamped down on them and frequently harass them. And business owners often run them off and call police, they said.
Police say there's no crackdown. They're only responding to calls.
"This isn't an us-against-them thing," said Middletown Police Major Mike Bruck. "If kids want to skate, we need to find someplace for them to do that. But we still have to enforce the law. If someone calls and has a complaint about skaters, we have to deal with them. Hopefully, the city can come up with some kind of realistic solution and everybody can win on this."
Steve, 17, with fellow skaters in tow, showed up at a Middletown City Commission meeting last month. He clutched a petition signed by nearly 300 residents who say they support a city skate park.
"There are places all over the city for people who play baseball, basketball, football, soccer and golf," Steve said. "We want a place to skate without being hassled."
Jason's parents, Karen and Dennis Eve, were at the meeting on his behalf. Mrs. Eve said she understands why businesses post signs to keep skaters out. Nevertheless, she insisted, teens must have a place to skate.
"If it's regulated in a specific area, it will cease to be an annoyance," Mrs. Eve said.
Commissioners, including Chairman James Armbruster and David Schiavone, said the teens have a valid complaint and the city's park board is researching the matter.
"There's no reason a city the size of Middletown shouldn't be able to do this," Mr. Schiavone said.
A city contingent, including Recreation Administrator Denise Bolton and Public Works Director Preston Combs, toured some city sites and parks Aug. 26, "searching for a suitable location for a skate park," Ms. Bolton said.
After more skaters reiterated the need for a skate park at Tuesday's commission meeting, Mr. Combs told commissioners that results of a two-month study of the issue and a possible recommendation should be ready soon.
During that meeting, Middletown City Manager Ron Olson said parents have been calling in support of a skate park. Some have even offered financial assistance.
He also said citing young skaters is the last thing the city wants.
"We realize there needs to be an outlet for them to practice their sport responsibly," he said.
Pam Drake said after she and her husband, David Drake, repeatedly saw her son, Jack Wells, 17, and his friends harassed for skating, they let them build a mini-ramp in their back yard.
"These are good, decent kids. Kids who just love to skate -- live to skate," but have jobs, go to church and make good grades, said Mrs. Drake.
"I often have 20-25 kids in my backyard at once and they don't cause trouble. If the city doesn't do something soon, me and my husband are going to take this backyard and put ramps up all over it. There's no place left for the kids to skate."
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