sk8mom wrote on Nov 17, 2008 8:53 PM:Why is there no skate park in the plan?
How many baseball diamonds does this city need?You tore down the skate park and promised to build another and all we get is this.Discrimination!

Sports Player wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:49 PM:where is this
'park" going to be located at?

Hey Mom wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:58 PM:Too bad you weren't at a recent city council meeting. You would have witnessed Morris Vance (mayor) and Councilman Campbell laughing it up at the mention of tearing out the skate park. And the sport park? Another poorly-conceived plan gone awry. Who'da guessed? It's being pushed through, so Morris can claim another "acheivement." And of course, he enjoys plunging us all deeper into debt. Just the kind of guy he is. I hope you voted for him! Let's RECALL! RECALL!! RECALL!!!

Oside Mom wrote on Nov 17, 2008 10:08 PM:I had commented earlier that they should be an indoor skatepark at the soon-to-be vacated Linens N Things site. They already have the demograhics from the waterpark and movie theatre, plus the local eateries in the area. It's a win-win. Have local companies pay for ads on the walls and that way, it can be better supervised than the outdoor one that shut down due to drugs/vandalism. My kids don't even skate, but I'd like to see Vista have something like this for the kids that do.

Artsyrat wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:57 AM:I agree! Where's the skate park in all this? There should be a skate park, a youth center in central Vista, anything Vista can muster up to help and or support our kids in this community.

To Oside Mom, I commented months ago the same thing and the NC times never posted it. Turn the Linens & Things into a youth center with a skate facility, concessions, live music on weekends,etc.. It may sound scary, like the kids would over run the area and cause more problems but remember people, we are responsible for our youth. We need to step out of our little worlds and get ivolved more. Our kids need us to show the way. If we don't then 'Danny the Drug Dealer' will!!!

Come on Mr. Vance, build the skate park!

No Skate Parks in Vista wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:05 AM:Skate parks are nothing more than hangouts for kids bent on criminal behavior, that's why there will never be another skate park in Vista. Why build another one when you have to provide almost 24-hour supervision, constantly send out the public works teams to paint over graffiti, and break up fights. Stop making it sound like Vista is the boogyman. No one in the community wants a skate park near their home, except moms and dads that don't wanna spend enough time with their kids and want a convenient place to drop off their kids unsupervised. I'm sure I'll hear all about the "my kid is a straight-A student that spends 40 hours a week volunteering at the local homeless shelter." Fact of the matter is that's not who's hanging out at the skate parks. And Linens and Things? That's a great idea, subsidizing kids w/ my tax dollars. If it were profitable, private industry woulda already done it. Skate boarder have no money to support such an idea.

Dan wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:12 AM:Any chance of getting a rugby field!!

NonSkater wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:15 AM:I agree with Sk8mom, where is the promised skate park. I am a 40 something business owner here in Vista and a non-skater. In fact, I frown on all the skaters using private property to practice their skills and damaging many properties during the process. This will only get worse unless we give them some place to go. Skateboarding isn't going to go away so we must accommodate these guys in some way. Build the replacement skate park now.

vistian wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:49 AM:why now just grade it flat & plant grass.do you really need to spend money on a track for people to walk? instead of expensive ballfield, that kids won't have the money to 'join' a league can play on. how about a big grass field, they can use a sock for a base if needed. Ill bet you could get the job done for less than 5% of projected cost and have a better park. this is why everyone votes no on props that raise taxes. YTour just not good spenders of OUR money

Sk8terboi wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:12 AM:I guess I'll have to give up my skateboard and start doing cocaine and steroids so I can excel at baseball. If I want to emulate my pro baseball player role models, as the city seems to imply that I should, then I'll need cocaine and steroids. Too coooolll!!!

Ken wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:16 AM:Oside Mom, that's a grand idea! Would create a few park/recs jobs at the same time. Heat in the winter, A/C in the summer. Charge a small day-use fee, just like the Wave. You should suggest that at tonight's city council meeting!!! PLEASE!!!

Mr Lou wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:46 AM:Where's the maintenance building?

sk8mom wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:50 AM:to no skate parks in vista- ... Looks like you are outnumbered. Why not let the kids have
Linens & Things. It would be a much better use of the space.Vista is over run with empty retail space.As for me not spending time with my son-You are so wrong. I spend alot of time teaching him not to be like you!!

its about time wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:53 AM:just hurry up and build the dam thing!our kids are the ones suffering.vista pop warner has to use that old field if thats what you want to call it!vista american little league had to move there games to john landis park and we all know how unsafe that park is.its time for vista to get with the program and build this sports complex.

Lets ignore the economic crisis wrote on Nov 18, 2008 11:42 AM:...and build a Great Park in Vista, yippee. Gee why would the city even take a hint from the housing deveolper pulling out of a project right next door? I agree the kids & community need space but what's with the spending, who do we think is going to pick up the dime?

to sk8mom wrote on Nov 18, 2008 12:51 PM:Where are all the baseball diamonds you complain about? My kid has to practice Friday nights 8-10pm because of the lack of fields. Why rip on one youth sport. Oceanside shut the Vista American Little league field and now the parents must drive across town for Little league at John Landis park. By the way, John Landis park has a skate board area, so why don't you drive your kids like the rest of us.

Thoughts wrote on Nov 18, 2008 12:58 PM:How could the city justify buying the Linens 'n Things building ($!) for skateboarders? Nice idea, but not thought out.

If Vista American Little League is going to use the two small fields, who is going to use the big baseball field?

jvc wrote on Nov 18, 2008 3:48 PM:How insensitive can you be!
All cities and public entities must have a moratorium on spending until
we can overcome our economic doldrums!
Johnny can have a baseball field to play but his parents are unemployed?

JDub wrote on Nov 18, 2008 5:29 PM:First, I agree that IF a new park is to be constructed that it should incorporate a skate park. (By the way ballfields are yet more of the notion from the City and VUSD that you have to "pay to play").

Second, the economy has tanked. City tax revenues are down and it might be prudent to defer this $15 million project until things improve a bit. We're already building a City Hall and Fire Station based on the "iffy" revenue from the city's sales tax. (Just wait until revenues do not meet the debt retirement obligation and see what happens).

Third, much of the land is not able to be "developed". Who said a park has to be developed? How about leaving some natural landscape with hiking trails?

Last, is anyone really surprised at another of what the edited version of Clint Eastwood's "Heartbreak Ridge" called a "cluster-flub"?

vpark wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:01 PM:to no skate parks in vista
you have no idea what skateboarding is about you assume that all skaters are bad and have no money you really need to get your facts straight. have you ever been to the skate park? and another thing have you seen the prices of skateboarding equipment? If you have then you must know that we can contribute to the new skate park.

No Skate Parks in Vista wrote on Nov 19, 2008 9:04 AM:To vpark, don't let facts in get the way of your argument. Do yourself a favor and call the Sheriff's substation and ask for addresses of the most frequent calls for criminal incidence. I'm sure you'll be shocked to hear that the skate park received the highest calls when it was open. I know you and your buddies are down there leading bible studies, but apparently when you're not there, some unsightly characters show up. That's why it's closed. And again, if it were profitable to operate a for-profit skate park (in Linens and Things), private industry would have already moved in. Your last comment strikes me as funny, too. If your croonies could contribute to the skate park, then why isn't there one (thank goodness!!) in Vista.

DadofSk8r wrote on Nov 19, 2008 9:08 AM:Come on Vista - Don't ignore the skateboarders! They are NOT going to go away. Build a skatepark and get it right this time. A large part of the problems that existed with the old skatepark was the way it was run (or more appropriately - not run).

To No Skate Park wrote on Nov 19, 2008 12:57 PM:Would you rather subsidize the skaters doing something positive or would you rather house them in jails (since you think they're all thugs). If they're busy doing graffiti, who do you think pays to clean that up?

I like the idea of a youth center also. Bring in bands and charge a cover fee. Sell food and have rockband contests and skate contests.

If the city won't help find someplace for the kids, the kids will find someplace for themselves and the city might not like their choices.

Oside Res wrote on Nov 19, 2008 1:30 PM:Please build the park. I will have a place to hang out all day since becoming unemployed.

sk8mom wrote on Nov 19, 2008 5:18 PM:to no prks- I feel so sorry for your children.Not everything is about profit.How much money will the "sports park" bring in. Not enough to cover 16 million & upkeep.How long will Linens & Things sit empty. Why not open another Wal-Mart? I don't expect you to get it-You pay money for your kid to have someone to play with. I bet they don't even like to play ball.

vpark wrote on Nov 19, 2008 7:14 PM:to no skate parks in vista
you didnt awnser my question
have you ever been to the vista skate park? If the skate park got the most calls then why wasnt there ever any cops there? if the police would have payed any attention to the park then most of the problems there would never have accured

No Skate Parks in Vista wrote on Nov 19, 2008 7:34 PM:I've always found this idea that a government should subsidize all our activities quite amusing. Let's take this idea to the nth degree, we should also subsidize my movie tickets on the weekend, the romantic getaway with my spouse, and my kids private school tuition, because if they're not subsidized, I'm gonna hang out on the corner and spray paint signs and destroy private property. How about our kids find things to do on their own, just like I did when I was young. We rode bikes on trails we found, we played basketball, we surfed...all of which cost nothing, and we found a way to do it. Now residents want to continue putting our tax dollars into failed projects that will again take up all our Sheriff's time. Luckily our city council understands this...keep standing firm Mayor Vance, you're doing a heck of a job, even with all the adversity of this disjointed community.