Skateboard park reopened after graffiti painted over

Skateboarders learned earlier this week that defacing the skate park will not be tolerated.

Monday afternoon, police arrived at the skateboard park at Central Park to discover derogatory comments about skaters and the police department had been painted on the ramps. The officers closed the park until the graffiti could be painted over.

City Manager Barbara Coplen said the incident was the "second or third time" the park had been vandalized in the past few months and the city is going to step up efforts to try to prevent future damage.

"We realize that kids will be kids ... but they need to police themselves. We want them to understand there is a responsibility (for using the park)."

The public works department painted the ramps and removed the fence that was around the park Tuesday afternoon. It was opened again on Wednesday after a promise from some of the skaters that they will help prevent future damage to the park.

Coplen said signs asking the users not to drive on the grass and to police themselves in order to keep the park open will be placed around the park. "(We know) nobody likes a snitch, but the city cannot afford to keep cleaning it up."

"They are going to have to lay off of (the graffiti) if they want to keep it out there," police chief Al Harris said.

Lights may be installed at the park in the near future to help prevent damage from occurring at night and to make the area safer for users.

Coplen said the park would be closed for a longer period of time if the vandalism occurs again.