I am surprised that the Boro is going to kick in our taxpayer money for this most worhtwhile project! It's about time the Boro spend some money on its future stars!! Yay. The playgrounds were so great. Loved attending them for years. Now if only we can get parents to actually parent thier children...... thank you to all involved for all your hard work....this Boro needs more like you! on another note, I can't believe the Boro is spending $54,000 to have the muinicipal bldg repainted. It was jsut painted within the last 6-8 years....tsk. tsk. another blatant waste of OUR money. what the hell?
There are many benefits to skateparks. They provide community value in five significant ways. 1. Social Benefits Skateparks provide a place for kids who aren’t attracted to traditional team sports a place to go and express themselves in an individual and athletic manner. Getting kids, particularly at-risk kids, involved in a personal and esteem-building activity like skateboarding helps them build the confidence to do well in other aspects of their lives. Skateparks provide a place for local youth to meet, socialize, and develop friendships based on a common, healthy interest. The bonds of friendship based on a mutual interest in skating often last a lifetime.
2. Health and Developmental Benefits Providing recreational opportunities to young children helps them develop healthy, active lifestyles, and the growing popularity of skateboarding is encouraging more and more people to go outside and roll. On average skaters are between 12 and 17 years old. These are formative years in a youth’s life and developing a habitual desire for physical recreation is essential to a healthy future. Skateboarding is physically active and requires, at times, great concentration. It encourages children to spend time outdoors, tests their endurance, sharpens their senses, and develops their creativity. Skateboarding requires no coaches and suggests no standardized approach to riding a skatepark. Skaters are free to ride in their own way, to their own abilities, and encouraged to pursue their own style of skating. Many people who started in their teens still enjoy skateboarding well into their 50s. Youth in low-income areas are particularly prone to health issues related to lack of exercise due to the expense of equipment and travel, or lack of leisure time. For these communities a local skatepark becomes an effective tool that teaches healthy, athletic living at an impressionable age.
3. Public Comfort and Safety Benefits The 9.3-million skateboarders in America only have about 3,000 skateparks nationwide. That means the vast majority of them are skating in the streets. Over 90% of deaths involving skateboards in the U.S. occur outside of skateparks. Most of these tragedies also involve a motor vehicle. Skateparks, even the more challenging ones, are far safer than kids rolling through busy streets. Skateparks provide a place for local youth to practice their tricks. This means that they’re not skating downtown or in areas where they are seen as a nuisance, a menace, or causing damage to structures. Skateboarding ordinances and other deterrents generally fail to significantly mitigate skating in inappropriate areas. Drawing the activity to appropriate areas allow other preventative measures to be more effective. In addition to the direct health benefits, research even suggests that skateboarding can help keep teens out of trouble. A 2006 study found that skateboarders are less likely to smoke cigarettes, have sex, and skip school. (“Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Patterns are Associated with Selected Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors,” PEDIATRICS, Vol. 117 No. 4, April 2006)
4. Economic Benefits We do not have any specific studies on the economic impact of skateparks on communities. But from the feedback we receive from municipal skatepark managers, skateparks do seem to have a positive effect on businesses in the surrounding area. When a skatepark opens, it tends to draw folks from the outlying communities to come bring their kids to the skatepark, do some shopping, maybe have lunch, buy some gas, etc. The further away the nearest skatepark is, the further people travel to visit the new park. Skateparks attract patrons to local businesses who might not otherwise be in the area. Skateboarders are tenacious and will go wherever the compelling terrain is. While skateparks with high visibility and ample community interaction are healthier environments, skateparks in challenging locations can often serve to activate an otherwise underutilized space. Their presence displaces less desirable elements that require privacy and can be a steady presence for other visitors that may be reluctant to visit a desolate area.
5. Community Development Benefits When parks are built right--with local skater input and involvement throughout the process--those youth develop a sense of ownership, pride, and community engagement. The very existence of the park is the result of their hard work and interaction with the broader community. They worked with civic and local business leaders, with each other on design elements, and with the community to find a suitable location. These previously disenfranchised skaters, who once ran from the police, find themselves working with the police, the city, and the community as a whole. It’s a transformational process for these young people. Skateparks allow the broader community to see the skateboarding youth for what they truly are: Passionate, dedicated athletes that voluntarily seek out physical recreation. Most communities with new skateparks are surprised to see how popular and positive the facility is and regret not making it larger. Without skateparks, skateboarders are often treated as pariahs and repeatedly told to leave the area. In some areas they must deal with law enforcement for doing something that they feel is essentially harmless. The cumulative effects of this treatment instill a sense of disconnection to their community. This regrettable cycle creates at-risk youth and is easily preventable through the creation of a local skatepark. When the youth are treated as criminals, they often become criminals.
this BOro has its priorities screwed up! spend...spend...spend...money we taxpayers do NOT have and continue to support nothing that has to do with our future-our children. one would think we live in some rich wealthy district. yes the Boro is spending $54,000 to paint A building. And we have hungry children, homeless in this Boro.....hell, i can't afford to keep my house afloat anymore with taxes...have council NO shame?? Mgmt as well.
The school tax is what is hurting everyone. Not that I don't agree that this is an unnecessary expense. Not that I don't agree that this particular council needs to be replaced. But the school tax is at least twice the amount of the borough taxes. Why doesn't anyone go to those meetings and bitch about what they are doing. Hell one of their members is not even a homeowner. What vested interest does HE have? He doesn't even have to be the victim of his own vote. I didn't realize you could be on the school board while living with your parents after just graduating college,
you know i have tried to get people interested...to attend school board mtgs...i think no one cares...does not want to invest thier time or their thoughts. this school board should be banned from making any decisions! they are hiring/replacing 3 top administrators at a cost of close to a HALF MILLION DOLLARS AND WILL BE 10 TIMES THAT WITH ALL THE BENEFITS........ENOUGH. COMBINE THE SCHOOLS. WE CAN NOT AFFORD THIS.
I really don't understand what;'s wrong with all these idiots-both the school board AND boro council.....we are losing our homes every day. we can not even afford to feed & clothe our children. REALLY?????? Have you driven thru the boro lately-there are tons of vacant homes waiting for sheriff/tax/foreclosure.....and then there are hundreds of homes for sale.....more than there have ever been....PEOPLE WAKE UP. ATTEND MTGS. SOMETHING IS DEFF WRONG WITH THIS.
$54,000 ? to paint a two story building ! If you pay one good painter $13 per hour, that would be about 4,000 hours !! If he works full time at 40 hours a week, that would be about 100 weeks ! About two (2) years for one full time person !
We as Columbians are done for! Except those who own properties and business!! They are bleeding this town out of everything but a kitchen sink!! They don't even wash their hands, until the dirty work is done. That dirty work is GREED!!!
WHAT????? this boro mgmt and council APPROVED $54,000.00 to repaint the exterior of ONE BUILDING???? what in hell is wrong with these people....i can not pay my bills because my taxes cost me $350.00 a month, 12 months a year.....something is VERY VERY WRONG here. i will lose my home along with HUNDREDS OF OTHERS. AND NO ONE CARES. THEY ARE BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB.
I am surprised that the Boro is going to kick in our taxpayer money for this most worhtwhile project! It's about time the Boro spend some money on its future stars!! Yay. The playgrounds were so great. Loved attending them for years. Now if only we can get parents to actually parent thier children......
ReplyDeletethank you to all involved for all your hard work....this Boro needs more like you!
on another note, I can't believe the Boro is spending $54,000 to have the muinicipal bldg repainted. It was jsut painted within the last 6-8 years....tsk. tsk. another blatant waste of OUR money. what the hell?
that must be a typo !! , even $5,400 is high !!! , the paint can't be more then one thousand . Something is not right about this.
DeleteDoes this include construction of the Skate Park that was promised to the children years ago ? Most communities have one.
ReplyDeletehttp://lancasteronline.com/article/local/247031_Skate-park-is-on-a-roll.html
ReplyDeletehttp://tonyhawkfoundation.org/skatepark-grants/apply/
ReplyDeleteWhy are skateparks beneficial to communities?
ReplyDeleteThere are many benefits to skateparks. They provide community value in five significant ways.
1.
Social Benefits
Skateparks provide a place for kids who aren’t attracted to traditional team sports a place to go and express themselves in an individual and athletic manner. Getting kids, particularly at-risk kids, involved in a personal and esteem-building activity like skateboarding helps them build the confidence to do well in other aspects of their lives.
Skateparks provide a place for local youth to meet, socialize, and develop friendships based on a common, healthy interest. The bonds of friendship based on a mutual interest in skating often last a lifetime.
2.
Health and Developmental Benefits
Providing recreational opportunities to young children helps them develop healthy, active lifestyles, and the growing popularity of skateboarding is encouraging more and more people to go outside and roll. On average skaters are between 12 and 17 years old. These are formative years in a youth’s life and developing a habitual desire for physical recreation is essential to a healthy future.
Skateboarding is physically active and requires, at times, great concentration. It encourages children to spend time outdoors, tests their endurance, sharpens their senses, and develops their creativity. Skateboarding requires no coaches and suggests no standardized approach to riding a skatepark. Skaters are free to ride in their own way, to their own abilities, and encouraged to pursue their own style of skating. Many people who started in their teens still enjoy skateboarding well into their 50s.
Youth in low-income areas are particularly prone to health issues related to lack of exercise due to the expense of equipment and travel, or lack of leisure time. For these communities a local skatepark becomes an effective tool that teaches healthy, athletic living at an impressionable age.
3.
Public Comfort and Safety Benefits
The 9.3-million skateboarders in America only have about 3,000 skateparks nationwide. That means the vast majority of them are skating in the streets. Over 90% of deaths involving skateboards in the U.S. occur outside of skateparks. Most of these tragedies also involve a motor vehicle. Skateparks, even the more challenging ones, are far safer than kids rolling through busy streets.
Skateparks provide a place for local youth to practice their tricks. This means that they’re not skating downtown or in areas where they are seen as a nuisance, a menace, or causing damage to structures. Skateboarding ordinances and other deterrents generally fail to significantly mitigate skating in inappropriate areas. Drawing the activity to appropriate areas allow other preventative measures to be more effective.
In addition to the direct health benefits, research even suggests that skateboarding can help keep teens out of trouble. A 2006 study found that skateboarders are less likely to smoke cigarettes, have sex, and skip school. (“Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Patterns are Associated with Selected Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors,” PEDIATRICS, Vol. 117 No. 4, April 2006)
4.
ReplyDeleteEconomic Benefits
We do not have any specific studies on the economic impact of skateparks on communities. But from the feedback we receive from municipal skatepark managers, skateparks do seem to have a positive effect on businesses in the surrounding area. When a skatepark opens, it tends to draw folks from the outlying communities to come bring their kids to the skatepark, do some shopping, maybe have lunch, buy some gas, etc. The further away the nearest skatepark is, the further people travel to visit the new park. Skateparks attract patrons to local businesses who might not otherwise be in the area.
Skateboarders are tenacious and will go wherever the compelling terrain is. While skateparks with high visibility and ample community interaction are healthier environments, skateparks in challenging locations can often serve to activate an otherwise underutilized space. Their presence displaces less desirable elements that require privacy and can be a steady presence for other visitors that may be reluctant to visit a desolate area.
5.
Community Development Benefits
When parks are built right--with local skater input and involvement throughout the process--those youth develop a sense of ownership, pride, and community engagement. The very existence of the park is the result of their hard work and interaction with the broader community. They worked with civic and local business leaders, with each other on design elements, and with the community to find a suitable location. These previously disenfranchised skaters, who once ran from the police, find themselves working with the police, the city, and the community as a whole. It’s a transformational process for these young people.
Skateparks allow the broader community to see the skateboarding youth for what they truly are: Passionate, dedicated athletes that voluntarily seek out physical recreation. Most communities with new skateparks are surprised to see how popular and positive the facility is and regret not making it larger.
Without skateparks, skateboarders are often treated as pariahs and repeatedly told to leave the area. In some areas they must deal with law enforcement for doing something that they feel is essentially harmless. The cumulative effects of this treatment instill a sense of disconnection to their community. This regrettable cycle creates at-risk youth and is easily preventable through the creation of a local skatepark. When the youth are treated as criminals, they often become criminals.
We need to clean house on this current council, forget the paint job!
ReplyDeleteAMEN. i hear ya loud and clear! let's do it ...they do NOT have a clue....thinking mgmt might not either.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! The shame of it all is that no one steps up to the plate to run for office. and all these elected officials all can not say NO to spending.
ReplyDeletewhat about the Skate Park that the Borough has planned ?
ReplyDeletethis BOro has its priorities screwed up! spend...spend...spend...money we taxpayers do NOT have and continue to support nothing that has to do with our future-our children. one would think we live in some rich wealthy district. yes the Boro is spending $54,000 to paint A building. And we have hungry children, homeless in this Boro.....hell, i can't afford to keep my house afloat anymore with taxes...have council NO shame?? Mgmt as well.
ReplyDeleteThe school tax is what is hurting everyone. Not that I don't agree that this is an unnecessary expense. Not that I don't agree that this particular council needs to be replaced. But the school tax is at least twice the amount of the borough taxes. Why doesn't anyone go to those meetings and bitch about what they are doing. Hell one of their members is not even a homeowner. What vested interest does HE have? He doesn't even have to be the victim of his own vote. I didn't realize you could be on the school board while living with your parents after just graduating college,
ReplyDeleteyou know i have tried to get people interested...to attend school board mtgs...i think no one cares...does not want to invest thier time or their thoughts. this school board should be banned from making any decisions! they are hiring/replacing 3 top administrators at a cost of close to a HALF MILLION DOLLARS AND WILL BE 10 TIMES THAT WITH ALL THE BENEFITS........ENOUGH. COMBINE THE SCHOOLS. WE CAN NOT AFFORD THIS.
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand what;'s wrong with all these idiots-both the school board AND boro council.....we are losing our homes every day. we can not even afford to feed & clothe our children. REALLY?????? Have you driven thru the boro lately-there are tons of vacant homes waiting for sheriff/tax/foreclosure.....and then there are hundreds of homes for sale.....more than there have ever been....PEOPLE WAKE UP. ATTEND MTGS. SOMETHING IS DEFF WRONG WITH THIS.
When is the next election for Mayor ?
ReplyDelete$54,000 ? to paint a two story building ! If you pay one good painter $13 per hour, that would be about 4,000 hours !! If he works full time at 40 hours a week, that would be about 100 weeks ! About two (2) years for one full time person !
ReplyDeleteDoes that amount include interior and exterior?
DeleteThe shame of it is that if anyone steps up and runs for office, they will be smeared the Nay Sayers before they ever have a chance.
ReplyDeleteWe as Columbians are done for! Except those who own properties and business!! They are bleeding this town out of everything but a kitchen sink!! They don't even wash their hands, until the dirty work is done. That dirty work is GREED!!!
ReplyDeletewhat anyone needs is to be able to think for themselves and say NO...no more spending. shut it down
ReplyDeleteWHAT?????? $54,000.00 to paint A building???? wow. unacceptable. use that towards the new sewer plant or upgrade.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like an exorbitant amount.
Deleteseriously taxpaying homeowners.....this is an outrage....WE can't afford to paint our homes...have they NO conscience
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much square footage is involved.
Deleteexterior ONLY...positively ludacriss
ReplyDeletecolumbia wake up!!! WHY are we allowing this BLATANT waste of our hardworking money???? Its time to make em accountable.
ReplyDeleteWHAT????? this boro mgmt and council APPROVED $54,000.00 to repaint the exterior of ONE BUILDING???? what in hell is wrong with these people....i can not pay my bills because my taxes cost me $350.00 a month, 12 months a year.....something is VERY VERY WRONG here. i will lose my home along with HUNDREDS OF OTHERS. AND NO ONE CARES. THEY ARE BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB.
ReplyDeletetonight is Boro Council mtg at 7 pm.....
ReplyDelete