3-31-2002 Commentary on the News Article Below

     This is truly a one sided article.  It eludes to vandalism and noise during the night.  Nobody is skateboarding during this time.  This vandalism happens because the skatepark is put in an out of the way location perfect for kids to hang out and party at night.  If the LARPD wants to fence the park, no problem.  Just open the gates at dawn and lock it again at dusk.  This way, the skaters can skate and the vandals can go somewhere else.  View this presentation with solutions, not short term, potential fixes. 

     Support the skatepark and build it up, don't just blame others and restrict its use.  Everyone, including the LARPD, needs to take ownership of this popular skatepark.  Take a look at this picture, no grass, tree, bench, drinking fountain in sight.  Only dirt and rocks surrounding good concrete skating surface.  Just compare this to Dublin, San Ramon, or Pleasanton's park atmosphere surrounding their skateparks.  They don't have the problems Livermore's skatepark has.  Is is coincidence or is it the family park environment that surrounds them?

Click for full size article in pdf format

View the predecessor to this article from The Independent published 3-21-2002.

Local News and Stories of Interest

Livermore to Consider Survey Of Youth Needs

Three government agencies in Livermore have been asked to consider financing a survey to determine the status of youth in the community.

The City of Livermore, the Livermore School District, and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) would be involved. The cost is between $15,000 and $25,000, depending on how many students the survey would contact.

Just a few of the 40 assets are as follows: notice children/youth, answer their questions, applaud their successes, celebrate the first (kindergarten) and last (high school gradation) day of school, and love them no matter what.

Barbara Kraybill, youth services superintendent for LARPD made the pitch at a joint meeting of the three agencies last Wednesday. The goal of the survey would be to see how the community matches up against 40 developmental assets as identified by the Search Institute.

The Search Institute is a nonprofit agency. Kraybill said the agency has conducted about a million similar surveys. It focuses its research on youth and established the 40 developmental assets following the research.

Kraybill described the approach recommended by the institute to help youth develop their potential as a "grassroots, community based, optimistic approach. It encourages all residents to become involved."

The goal is to provide children with the support and guidance they need to become successful adults. Both external and internal growth are important. Kraybill cited statistics that indicate those who have access to the 40 assets are less likely to engage in destructive behavior. Potential for alcohol consumption decreases from 53% for those with 0-10 assets, and to 1% for those with 31-40. Other areas such as drug use, violence, and sexual activity also show decreases. On the positive side, those with more assets have a greater success in school, value diversity, have good health and delay gratification at a greater rate than those with access to fewer assets.

The survey would look at the assets in Livermore. Kraybill said that will help to see what the community has and what needs to be worked on. Parental permission would be needed to do a survey in a school. Private schools would be approached to see whether they would like to participate, Kraybill said. It would be beneficial to survey as many children as possible.

To introduce the program, a community would be led by a representative of the Search Institute. The cost for the meeting would be $1700. LARPD Board member Dale Turner said he supports the survey. "The money doesn't seem too bad. It's a good expenditure. I would like to see some plan developed to use the information in a positive way."

Livermore City Manager Linda Barton described the Search Institute program as an excellent one. The agency conducted a survey in Bellevue, Washington, where she last worked. "There were some surprising results that caused more programs to be put together in Bellevue. Both youth and adults worked together," Barton said.

Kraybill said the community shouldn't think in terms of programs, but in having community members do one or two of the suggestions with kids. She used one example. Last summer, the LARPD skatepark opened on a hot day. The water had not yet been brought to the site. Kraybill went to the store and purchased bottled water for the skaters to drink. "That's taking time to do something for kids. It is important to take time to notice kids. That's not another program. It's a people-to-people approach."

LARPD board member Scott Kamena said the information would be invaluable. He offered comments on two of the assets. Number 40 on the list is: kids should have a positive view of their personal future. Kamena said, "If you feel you have positive things coming down the road in the future, you don't want to do anything to screw it up. Too many kids today feel there is nothing down the road for them. High school is it." He asked, "Will we have the strength, guts and capacity to do what we need to do about this (helping provide a bright future)?" he asked.

The second, #12, suggests school boundaries be provided with consequences if boundaries are crossed. He said he isn't sure that it is possible to provide consequences, even if we wanted to. Kids realize that there is nothing teachers can do to them. "I'm concerned about that trend," he said. The three agencies will consider the request at future individual board/council meetings.

 

Board Meeting Minutes

http://www.larpd.dst.ca.us/boarddocs/minutes_1-31-01.html