Editorial: Paying to skate

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007 | 9 a.m.

Skateboarders, BMX bike riders and in-line skaters may no longer play for free at Hollywood Skate Park. The Clark County Commission last week approved a $3 daily fee.

A story by the Las Vegas Sun on Friday reports that county parks officials say the fee is expected to generate about $100,000 annually, which would help pay for "skate guards" who provide supervision at the $3 million park.

Hollywood, which opened in April, is the newest and largest of the county's 14 skate parks. The new fee structure includes a monthly pass for $30, a three-month pass for $72 and a $216 three-month family pass for up to four people. Leonard Cash, county parks director, told Sun reporter Tony Cook that Hollywood's new fee is a test that, if successful, could lead to fees at the rest of the county's skate parks.

And that is cause for concern. If youths cannot afford $3 a day or $30 a month to skate or ride their BMX bikes in public parks, where are they supposed to go? Our guess is that they will end up back in the shopping center parking lots. Skate parks were built to prevent youths from using parking lots and other public places as playgrounds, where they created safety hazards for themselves and passers-by.

Clark County Commissioner Chip Maxfield told the Sun that charging for the use of skate parks could end up being the beginning of a worrisome trend, in which fees also are charged for the use of basketball, volleyball and tennis courts.

This is just wrong. Public parks are built with taxpayers' money for the enjoyment of the entire community, not simply for the enjoyment of those who have enough money to pay to play.

Clark County parks officials should be looking for ways to encourage more youths to engage in active outdoor pursuits. Charging fees is not the way to do that.