Skateboard park idea in Saugus gains steam, foe

SAUGUS – Youth and Recreation Director Greg Nickolas said support for a new skateboard park at Anna Parker in Saugus is gaining steam, especially after kids raised more than $1,000 for the project at Founder?s Day by auctioning off skateboards.?Right now we have a line item created for the department that?s 100 percent for the skateboard park,” said Nickolas. “My next step is basically to put a proposal together for the Town Manager and go over it with him.”Talk of a new skate park first popped up at a Board of Selectmen meeting last week, when more than two dozen kids attended to show their support.Saugus is no stranger to skateboard parks. A park was built in the tennis courts at the Evans School in Saugus Center in 2009, but was closed down after kids began vandalizing it.Nickolas said a new park would be different.?I?m hopeful that they?ll take ownership of it and do some of their own policing,” said Nickolas “I think by having an official, designated place? there?s going to be a level of ownership. (Kids) have already shown their ability to step up by the way they raised the funds on Founder?s Day. They have initiative and that enthusiasm is going to spill over.”Carrie Turner lives across from the Essex Street Fire House, and said she would welcome a skate park.?It?s fun for the kids,” said Turner. “It?s something pretty healthy and it?s something for them to do. It makes good use of the park.”Turner said the tennis courts aren?t used very often, so it shouldn?t be a problem.?It never was big for tennis,” said Turner. “A few here and there. I think they might have had a program with some lessons. But, over my life, it?s never been big on tennis. It got used more when they put in the basketball court.”Bobby Camuso, however, said he would fight the project “all the way”Camuso lives on Eustis Street and his backyard abuts the playground. Camuso said kids ruined his fence trying to cut back and forth between his yard and the playground. With cops cracking down on disturbances at the Veterans School over the summer, Camuso said more kids will wind up at Anna Parker.?Anna Parker is one of the last decent parks,” said Camuso, who has two sons, 7 and 9. “The whole problem is, you?re taking a problem that?s (at the Veterans School) and you?re moving it over here. They do need a place to go but, you know what, I don?t want that problem over here to be worse. Since they chased them out three weeks ago, there?s been a big problem.”Nickolas said he doesn?t have a cost estimate for a new skate park, but is hoping local businesses will donate money and materials to get construction going. With support he?s seen so far, Nickolas said he?s hoping that can take place soon.?This is all new to me,” said Nickolas. “The most important thing for me was a place. That was holding things up. The parents are stepping up and this thing is going to take on a life of its own.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter at @MattTempesta.