BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN -- By early spring, in-line skaters and skateboarders who have long begged for a place to skate to avoid problems with police and property owners will have their own park to hone their skills.
City commissioners heard final plans Tuesday for a new serpentine, concrete skate park inside Smith Park at Tytus Avenue and Verity Parkway.
Groundbreaking for the park will be noon Saturday.Prior to the ceremony, volunteers will work from 8-11 a.m. to clean up the area, Recreation Administrator Denise Bolton said.
Baker Concrete Construction Inc. of Monroe is donating the bulk of labor and materials, and Suburban Rails of Athens, Ohio, is donating the design work, said Lisa Bonati. She is Baker's marketing director and co-coordinator of the skate park project. Other businesses are making contributions to the volunteer project, too.
Baker is doing the work in conjunction with the eighth annual Make a Difference Day, which is Saturday. A grand opening is expected in early spring.
"I'm so excited about this. People are just so eager to help. We have many companies donating materials to help with the project," Ms. Bonati said.
Commissioners approved an increase of 1 percent each for sewer and water rates effective Jan. 1, 1999. That will cost the average customer about 34 cents more a month, and will generate a total of about $105,000 annually, officials said.
Commissioners earlier had proposed no rate hike for next year, but decided a small increase could help stave off the need for a large increase later.
