City Council Decisions
Erie City Council had a lot on the agenda for their Wednesday night meeting. Hot button issues included more money for Parade Street development and the possibility of a new city skateboard park.
The council voted 4-3 to ask the city to request $300,000 in state funding for the construction of a Parade Street grocery store and strip mall.
But most of the people in the meeting were there to hear about the possibility of a skateboard park.
The Skate Erie Association has been working to build a permanent, concrete skate park in the city.
They have been trying to get support from the city.
Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott already says he supports the idea.
On Wednesday council members added their voices of support with a unanimous vote to recognize the need for a "safe and legal" place to skate.
The association says they are targeting Baldwin Park in the 2500-block of Geist Road on the West Side as a possible location for a skate park.
But not everyone in the neighborhood is supporting their efforts.
"I thought of all the parks, how did they pick this park?" said Baldwin Park neighbor Louise Razanauskas. "It's not big enough for 4,000 children to come there with their family, with their cars. Where are they going to park them?" she questioned.
"Baldwin Park fits the majority of our criteria," said Marc Buccigrossi, of the Skate Erie Association. "We're hoping to be able to build there. It's a beautiful park and we'd like to be able to share it with the community," he added.
The Skate Erie Association will now be looking for more money to make the skate park a reality.
