News
Thursday, September 2, 2010
BMX bike park leveled
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Teens hang out and ride bikes on the Millenium Circle after the 309 trails were torn down. AIMEE DILGER Photos/The Times Leader 7/30/2010
Aimee Dilger
Kids look around the site of the 309 trails that had been destroyed overnight. AIMEE DILGER Photos/The Times Leader 7/30/2010
Aimee Dilger
Additional Photos Below
HD Video - Current state of Park
The BMX bike park created by area riders along the Wyoming Valley Levee System in Kingston was leveled early Friday morning by Luzerne County workers.
When kids started showing up to the park they call “309 Trails” they couldn’t believe what they saw. The site that just a day before and for years before that had 30 ramps and three trails was now level. Only tire tracks from the bulldozer remained.
Jim Brozena, executive director of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, said the county did what it had to do because of serious liability issues.
“It was determined that the park was located on lands owned by the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority and the other issue we had was that the area is also covered with wetlands that are controlled by the federal government,” Brozena said. “We checked with our insurance carriers and our solicitors and they recommended we remove the hazard immediately.”
Several teenagers who showed up at the site were angered and amazed that their park was destroyed without warning and without any promise of the county providing a venue for them to use.
“All we do is come here and ride and dig,” said one teenager who declined to give his name. “I just can’t believe it.”
Joe Hoinski, 15, of Forty Fort, gathered shovels the kids used to build the ramps and piled them into a wheelbarrow. Even a large old tire that swung from a tree was removed by the county workers.
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Additional Photos
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Kids look around the site of the 309 trails that had been destroyed overnight. AIMEE DILGER Photos/The Times Leader 7/30/2010 Aimee Dilger |
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Teens hang out and ride bikes on the Millenium Circle after the 309 trails were torn down. AIMEE DILGER Photos/The Times Leader 7/30/2010 Aimee Dilger |
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Devin Schweiss, 16, of Kingston, at ’309 Trails,’ a BMX bike track made of earthen ramps along the dike in Kingston. BILL TARUTIS/THE TIMES LEADER |
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Joey Ide, 14, of Exeter, makes a jump at ’309 Trails,’ a BMX bike track that teenagers made of earthen ramps near the flood-protection levee in Kingston. BILL TARUTIS/THE TIMES LEADER |
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Devin Schweiss, left, Steve Loftus, Joey Ide, John Pavidus, Gordy Roberts, and Joe Hoinski at ’309 Trails,’ a BMX bike track made of earthen ramps along the dike in Kingston. BILL TARUTIS/THE TIMES LEADER |
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93 COMMENTS
baileybird18704 said...
Why is it, the kids in this area are punished for keeping themselves out of trouble. Maybe thouse who leveled their homemade bike park should have built a place for them to take their bikes. This area could have used such a place much more than an ice rink. For our elected officals, here is a novel idea for you guys, try building a place for kids to take their bikes and skateboards at Coal St. Park. The only reason not to do that is that there is more money in giving citiations to kids who are out on their bikes and skateboards.
jakeschell. said...
Say goodbye to your precious waterfront.
Katie said...
friggin ridiculous...
Martie said...
My car was burglarized by a young teen this summer with too little supervision and too much time on his hands. Instead of giving kids something to do to keep them out of trouble county officials take away something that kept them occupied and out of trouble. They made no effort to come to some kind of compromise for the use of the land instead they have just angered yet another generation in the valley. As kids we lived outside on back trials making forts or building things like these kids have done and no one took it away and we stayed out of trouble and off the streets. There is nowhere in this valley where kids can just be kids. Sad really.
Gahpa said...
"Say goodbye to your precious waterfront." Exactly the kind of thing I was afraid of. But what are the kids to do when they create something they enjoy only to have our "leaders" bulldoze it without warning or any effort whatsoever to compromise? The anger they feel is the anger many of us have toward "representatives" that fail to represent (i.e., Carney and Kanjorski) and county leaders who are more corrupt than cooperative.
jakeschell. said...
Say goodbye to your precious waterfront.
jakeschell. said...
Actually, we aren't going to cause any physical damage to waterfront. We are just going to sit there. All 30 or 40 of us, with our bikes, untill they give us another place to ride.
always looking said...
I think that if the Times Leader didn't expose this by putting the article on the front page, this would have never happened!! I am sure Petrilla was the main person behind this, she ruins everything
luzer said...
typical county official behavior, i hope they feel proud of themselves,bullying teenagers who were doing something productive without bothering anybody else.
jakeschell. said...
Actually, we aren't going to cause any physical damage to waterfront. We are just going to sit there. All 30 or 40 of us, with our bikes, untill they give us another place to ride.
luzer said...
typical county official behavior, i hope they feel proud of themselves,bullying teenagers who were doing something productive without bothering anybody else.
MG said...
big killer for the summer riding season especially when most building is done early spring or fall. find a new place to dig and don't tell the newspaper next time! really the county should allocate some useless flood land and let you guys build legally with liability immunity under Title 42 Subsection 8340.2
NorthPa-Sucks said...
Then you wonder why the younger generation continue to leave this area
Rolling Eyes said...
Hey, these kids parents were likely litigious. Sucks to be them but it didn't keep them out of trouble. They trespassed and destroyed public property. Sounds to me like they were already committing property crimes to begin with. You should show video of it being bulldozed. Hey, this isn't 1945 anymore; it's 2010.. It's a WHOLE different world.
LLTaxpayer said...
We all predicted this action when the article about the park was published. Foolish on the part of the TL to think this was not going to happen. But they had to get the news out!
jakeschell. said...
Actually, we aren't going to cause any physical damage to waterfront. We are just going to sit there. All 30 or 40 of us, with our bikes, untill they give us another place to ride.
PaulQuigley said...
Another fine job by Maryanne and company. First, they penalize the home owners of Luzerne county with 21st Centuries ridiculous reassessment. Second, the Feds had to come in as we have the most corrupt county in the country. Then they close Moon Lake park and now have leveled a very well done BMX course created by some very admirable youth from this area. Is there anything left for them to kill around here?
nuff said said...
Why doesnt our fearless county leaders , All three of them come over to the west side of town an continue your spitefullness. between the chinese rest. an enterprise car rental on any given weekend there are 5-10 pickups with ramps, 2x6's in with ATVs riding the dikes and dirt paths along the levy system. Catch them, they are there illegally.
looser county said...
yeah, these kids should be stomped on like bugs, that will teach them the lesson. obey the rule and petty tyrants. maybe they didnt know nobody.
mr said...
This is ridiculous!! This was something for these children to do to keep them out of trouble and occupied and the officials of this crappy county ruin it for them!! I'm sorry but what damage were these kids doing by just riding their bikes and having a little fun. Maybe the officials who did this should be spending more time on putting this county back together and less time bother kids who are not doing anything wrong!!
jakeschell. said...
Actually, we aren't going to cause any physical damage to waterfront. We are just going to sit there. All 30 or 40 of us, with our bikes, untill they give us another place to ride.
jakeschell. said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
MG said...
hey rolling eyes...these kids parents aren't litigious if you've read previous comments. falling and getting scars is part of the sport. you think kids riding at the whitesox trails in plains sue when they get hurt? only difference is those trails got protected under law before they could get plowed. similar thing almost happened to catty woods trails in catasauqua, but they got plenty of support to save them for the time being. the county could have at least tried to work with these kids, but instead they get a kick out of destroying their harmless fun with absolutely no notice or attempt to resolve things.
Albert said...
This is awful from a myriad of angles. First off, as adults and elected officials, we have a social and moral obligation to the youth in our community. We have a universal responsibility to help nourish their minds and provide for them appropriate venues for expression. Baseball players have baseball fields, football players have football fields, so why dont BMX riders have a bike park? Where the county leaders have failed, these kids took the matter into their own hands and built something great. Whether you want to admit it or not, these kids were just taught a very real lesson about society and their government. Do you think it was a positive lesson?
Family_Man said...
As a parent,high school teacher, and taxpayer in Luzerne county, I am not surprised by the actions of our county government and other officials. Remember folks, if they do not directly benefit from any projects in the area...meaning either thru kickbacks or making themselves look good in the paper so you vote for them again...well, kiss it goodbye. I ask seniors in high school what are they going to do after high school all the time...the first thing they say..."Move out of this area!" This is why! To those of you who built this BMX track, great job! I agree with jake schell...go hang out at the waterfront..because after millions being spent on it...you'll be the only ones to actually use it. Please...Please...Please...remember this come election time.
jakeschell. said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
Drbill said...
These kids are doing what physicians recommend, EXERCISING and physical activity. They are not sitting around glued to the TV or computer consuming fat- loaded snacks. as long as they wear proper protective equipment, let them alone. If there is concern about insurance and liability, ask them to show their parents' insurance card and check it out or better yet, purchase the same liability coverage the county has for other public recreational facilities. I must give these kids credit for taking the effort to make a great place for them to enjoy their sport. If you need someone to babysit them, put some of the court house convicted crooks on patrol. Consider it community service. SHAME ON YOU FOR DESTROYING THAT PARK. Guess you'd rather have them vandalizing or dealin' drugs.
jakeschell. said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
jakeschell. said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
leftasap said...
This is EXACTLY why I left Luzerne County, the Wyoming Valley and specifically Wilkes-Barre as soon as I finished school. Beetween the nepotisim, political connectivness, this kind of stiffiling of the youth, and the lack of any real industry, what's to keep people? I got out of WB and never looked back.
nuff said said...
Why is it we can build a dog park for our pets and not a park for our children to ride their bikes an skateboards. Also people probably didnt hear these children down there compared to the dirt bikes and atv's racing down railroad tracks on county property.Are the three stooges going to stop this before someone gets hurt
AJB said...
Unfortunatley, this is a byproduct of what our society has evolved into due to Lenahan & Dempsey and Munley, Munley & Cartwright's of the world. You know darn well that if one of those kids got hurt, the scumbag lawyers would be the first to come calling on the parents door. You can't blame the county commissioners for doing their jobs, blame the legal system. But it is unfortunate for the kids.
said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
nuff said said...
Why is it we can build a park for dogs and not a park for our children?
said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
Darryl Licked said...
Did the county post any signs or put up fences after bulldozing? Why not start rebuilding? This time, don't tell the newspaper...
said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
nuff said said...
Hope Mr. Brozena an his posse go over to the old gas station in Edwardsville between the chinese rest. and enterprise car rental and round him up some illegally ridden atv's and dirtbikes this weekend before someone scrapes their knee's.
Darryl Licked said...
Did the county post any signs or put up fences after bulldozing? Why not start rebuilding? This time, don't tell the newspaper...
said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
Darryl Licked said...
Did the county post any signs or put up fences after bulldozing? Why not start rebuilding? This time, don't tell the newspaper...
looser county said...
the staph at the looser county courthouse should know that the county is almost entirely immune from suit by the political and subdivisions tort claims act. it may only be sued (in this situation) for a defect in its real estate. If you call the jumps and hills made by the kids a defect, it is they who caused them. that gets into the defense of assumption of the risk. only a numbskull would worry about getting sued becausse of this homemade bike park. did they worry about getting sued by the pervasive scheme to send kids up the river to that detention facility - no, but ultimately they were protected by immunity. Immunity protects the dopes. btw judges are generally immune.
Franker said...
And you wonder why A. NEPA youth leaves the area; B. get involved in self-destructive activities like excessive drinking and drugs; and C. people have such a negative view of that area. I'll forever be glad I left that area, but am sad at reading how something positive for the youth there gets squashed down into the mire without any kind of forethought as to where to rebuild a BMX and/or skatepark for all to enjoy. I'm tellin' ya', man, the similarities between the Wyoming Valley/Wilkes-Barre and Stephen King's Derry, Maine are spooky.
said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
luzer said...
the feds should also look into brozena with his sweetheart deals with local engineering and construction firms. i wonder why the son of one of his sweetheart firms got the job of riverfront park director?? im sure he was the most qualified applicant. yea thats funny.
luzer said...
the feds should also look into brozena with his sweetheart deals with local engineering and construction firms. i wonder why the son of one of his sweetheart firms got the job of riverfront park director?? im sure he was the most qualified applicant. yea thats funny.
said...
This comment board keeps reposting my comments. Sorry.
Kevin said...
Typical Wyoming Valley/Luzerne County response. I have a question for you Petrilla and all the rest of you "So Called Leaders" of this cesspool we call a county. Why is it that York County has just completed a fantastic concrete skatepark for the kids....no liability issue there, on county park property I might add, and yes, it is there, not a figment of my imagination. Why can't Luzerne County have one? Why does Bloomsburg also have a real nice skatepark, on town property, along with Lewisburg, also town property. No insurance issues there either. Gee, even little towns like Duryea and Carbondale, along with Tobyhanna, Sunbury as well...have skateparks, with no liability issues. Why? Because they have officials that are willing to work with the kids and the community and look for ways of doing their jobs for the betterment of the communities, not pad the pockets of long time cronies, that's why. All of you "leaders", and I use the term loosly, sicken me. To ...
eyeinthesky said...
don't feel too sorry for these boys...many are no angels...kharma
Tracker said...
Why not ask Mr. Flood Authority Brozena about liability costs for the waterfront park he spent Millions on....These kids are playing in mud...Does the county now plan on bulldozing every park it owns? Leave the kids alone bully.
eyeinthesky said...
don't feel too sorry for these boys...many are no angels...kharma
nuff said said...
The three stooges should check on why there is ATV and dirt bikes riding on Mt. Trashmore also. All hours of the night. The cover or top of this is showing because of atv use. Also if they are so worried people getting hurt the fenced in leachate ponds fence is torn down. And why is there shooting you hear up on the site of the former West Side Landfill all hours.I thought this was suppose to be taken care of long ago.
rurbanite said...
These kids are the real heroes. They created a public works project without public funding, kickbacks, bribery, or the usual corruption that drove me and thousands of other people to move out of Luzerne County. I hope the whole community supports these kids. Yes, it's important to be careful about "liability," but not to use it as an excuse for brutality. Who is going to pay the liability when kids act out because they have no place for recreation?
Steve-a-Reno said...
Sorry, but the kids didn't own the property. You could bet your bottom dollar if little Johnny got hurt on that property, little Johnny's mommy & daddy would be suing the owner's of the property, Luzerne County!
Neverknow said...
Don't say the kids don't have anything to do. Ididn't even know this was there though. Wyoming Valley Sports Dome. This is what it says and they have pictures with kids on BMXs riding there. Our skatepark will be opening on April 13th, 2009 and closing in mid-October 2009. Check our skate park layout for ramps which are completed. Hours of operation are 4-10 daily. Prices are $10.00 per session Monday thru Thursday and $13.00 per session Friday, Saturday and Sunday.. Please note, prior to initial admission (after July 1, 2008) a NEW signed parental waiver for all skaters under the age of 18 must be signed at the Dome in front of Dome personnel with proper parental identification. If this is not possible a waiver may be downloaded from our website and then must be notarized to insure proper parental permission and parental identification.
disabiled tax payer said...
The kids that put time & sweet in the park . WILL NOW HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO LIKE TAG CAR HOMES . and now use tax payers money to be put away . a lot of other towns alone the river have parks just for kids . not like wilkes-barre / kingston . parks for older people . not kids
donnie said...
Like many young educated people from the Wyoming Valley, I no longer live there. It's reasons like this the Valley can't keep youth in the area. All these kids want to do is have fun and do something constuctive with their time. I'm sure they put a lot of hard work into what they were doing. I currently live in Havre de Grace MD. Although it's only a three hour drive away, it's lightyears in culture. Shame on you. Who ever is responsible for having this place bulldozed. You are one of the reasons this region can not progress with the rest of the country. Although maybe the majority of the people up there feel the same way as the people responsible for having the place destroyed. That's why these people keep getting elected.
jakeschell. said...
Another thing, if you would've compromised, I know 2 very respectable adults who were more then willing to set up a limited liability corp. and lease the land from the county. But of course, they just dozed it.
jakeschell. said...
Another thing, if you would've compromised, I know 2 very respectable adults who were more then willing to set up a limited liability corp. and lease the land from the county. But of course, they just dozed it.
lbikake said...
Way to go Petrilla. Let's give teenagers with lots of energy absolutely nothing to do. Apparently these are good kids who built the park with their own time, sweat and money. Petrilla just RESIGN if you re not intelligent enough to utilize Title 42 Subsection 8340.2 for liability purposes. Even Skrep would know this subsection.
Ironic Mike said...
The bulldozer missed it's mark. It should have pushed over the courthouse. That would have done more good.
Kevin said...
Oh, I'm sure they know all about Title 42 Subsection 8340.2 but that would mean they have no excuse then. They are sitting on a lot of cash, from what I understand about $150,000 for recreational purposes that since their scheme to lease Moon Lake for drilling was uncovered and stopped, I guess they are hoping we forget about that money. They can easily put that money up for a skatepark and a place for these kids. As far as the Dome, yes.. a great place as I take a ton of pics up there for the kids Facebooks and all, but it's not cheap and you can't really get there on a bike. It's just so sad to see the Luzerne County Spirit Crusher is alive and well in the valley of the dead and those who are going to die.
MG said...
in the end, it doesn't really matter that these got plowed cause new ones will just be built. keep plowing and there will ALWAYS be a generation of kids who keep digging. hope all those involved with the plowing had a great day knowing they crushed the hard work of some kids just having fun and harming no one. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2007&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=0514&pn=0557
laura said...
welcome to luzerne county kiddies where apparently people hate you.it's ok to make walking trails where women get attacked but not to have a riding trail for these kids to have something to do.so my question is now when are those walking trails going to be dismantled so no more women get attacked and raped? oh wait they won't because it's not for kids
Ptolemy13 said...
I think, more than the idea that the county somehow hates kids, or doesn't want to see them happy, that this is the result of the sue-happy world we live in. No matter how many waivers on the part of the riders, or promises made, the county is terrified of any litigation. On the other hand, I can't understand why something like this can't be built in Kirby Park itself, out of the immediate flood plain and maintained by the riders. A combination bike and skateboard park would be great. I see skateboarders all over, and they don't seem to have anywhere to go. It's a great idea, but beurocracy, as usual, wins out.
demy said...
this is ridiculous- maybe they should build the kids a place to go-most problems occur when kids are idle and they have to improvise ---when i was a kid, there were lots of safe places to just be a kid
MG said...
no, all the sue-happy and liability talk is just a BS excuse when there is immunity from civil liability for such parks.
trailrat said...
Very heart breaking to see the look on my son's face, and hear the tone in his voice from all of this. Typical crap from a corrupt county. Well, as far as I'm concerned, Patrilla, and all the other jerks just committed "political suicide!" Hope you were too comfy in your office. To "ROLLING EYES" they didn't destroy public property! They cleaned up an area riddled by mud, pickers, and poison ivy, and made a place to ride, and AVOID destroying public property. Hope you all enjoy the pretty flowers the county has planned spend thousands on for the court house. Hey Bill Boyle....next time you see some kids coming out of the woods with bikes, leave them alone, and don't ask whats there!
mad mom said...
I am a parent and these kids have been building this for like five yrs now..And until the Times Leader showed up no one knew they even went there..and as for the kids getting hurt and layers.. PLEASE..it would of happened along time ago when they first started..and werent very good ..now they are good and you take it away..I do want my kids to do something but sit in the house and do nothing..I thought what those kids did was great and im proud of them..who ever did this should of had to look at my son today and tell him they were sorry like i had to ..BROKE MY HEART... The land sat untouched for many years so i dont understand what the big deal is..you can have walking trails where woman are being raped and drug addicts are safe to do drugs but the kids cant build something they love...hmmmmm oh i get it if woman get raped and drug addicts overdose then someone gets money ohhhh i see now...WHAT A SHAME....
mad mom said...
I am a parent and these kids have been building this for like five yrs now..And until the Times Leader showed up no one knew they even went there..and as for the kids getting hurt and layers.. PLEASE..it would of happened along time ago when they first started..and werent very good ..now they are good and you take it away..I do want my kids to do something but sit in the house and do nothing..I thought what those kids did was great and im proud of them..who ever did this should of had to look at my son today and tell him they were sorry like i had to ..BROKE MY HEART... The land sat untouched for many years so i dont understand what the big deal is..you can have walking trails where woman are being raped and drug addicts are safe to do drugs but the kids cant build something they love...hmmmmm oh i get it if woman get raped and drug addicts overdose then someone gets money ohhhh i see now...WHAT A SHAME....
the kid. said...
So, now that are trails are gone, we're going to be on the public property. We were out of the way and not on your propety. But now where are we going to go?
oldjoe said...
oldjoe said... 9years and not 1 police call,not 1 ambulance call, and not 1 lawsuit. Just 9 years of hard physical labor for something fun and rewarding and to be proud of.Only to be taken away and destroyed by the narrow minded hypocrits in political power.But maybe the 2 corrupt judges will come forth with some of the "KIDS FOR CASH" money and undo this terrible injustice. Ride On! and Rebuild!
dubs said...
Write a story about some guys and kids riding biks at some trails not bothering any 1 and they get torn down... maybe since theres no where to ride my bike i should go sell crack on coal st instead... write an artical on that! o wait thats to big of a problem to deal with "theres no drugs in this valley" lets tear down some bike jumps instead! what a joke!
Drbill said...
Bulldoze the freakin' casino with its catfights over slot machines, people locking kids in cars during the night so they can gamble without paying a babysitter, and a pus case of gambling addicts on welfare and no breaks to taxpayers. REBUILD THE KIDS A BIKE PARK with some casino profits. While you're at it, make sure all the dogs at the communal doggy park wear muzzles, don't bark, are currently licensed and are UTD on vaccines and free from worms, fleas and ticks. Maybe you want to bulldoze that, too, to ruin it for the animals. Bulldozer Valley , not Valley with a Heart. Hope you are proud of what you did to those kids.
cilla729 said...
Really??? How ridiculous!You didn't even give anyone a chance to stick up for these kids. Maybe instead of worrying about kids riding bikes you should consider that there is alot of other things you should be putting your focus on. I hope you enjoy them where you really dont want them to be like at the waterfront! I know the majority of these kids and they are great kids to bad dirtbags had to ruin something so good for these kids.
Way-Out said...
I thought somewhere in the budget for the new Riverfront project, money was set aside for a skate/bmx park for kids.Smaller towns such as Carbondale have skate parks,why can't Wilkes-Barre or Kingston put aside a couple thousand dollars for a project such as this.Directly across from Riverfront Park by the boat-launch would be an ideal spot.I would even support my tax dollars going to hiring full-time employees to staff the new skate/bmx area.This is what the kids around here need and parents would appreciate knowing their children were in a safe surrounding.I also feel sorry that the Times Leader has brought so much attention to these kids "secret playground"which, by the way, most people never even knew was in existenance.I was looking forward to the day when I could take my young son to the "trails",but now all he will have are the urban legend stories of old.Maybe,I'll get together with my rich contractor friends and build are own "secret" bmx/skate park,just don't tell the TL.
jerrygarcia said...
Thank you, Bill OBoyle. You have successfully ruined the only spot we had in this area. We specifically asked you to not reveal the location of the spot, and you did not heed to our requests. Because of you, our place is now leveled, 7 years of hard work and dedication gone. I hope you're happy, you got all your precious articles, and you will still receive your paycheck every week.
jerrygarcia said...
Thank you, Bill OBoyle. You have successfully ruined the only spot we had in this area. We specifically asked you to not reveal the location of the spot, and you did not heed to our requests. Because of you, our place is now leveled, 7 years of hard work and dedication gone. I hope you're happy, you got all your precious articles, and you will still receive your paycheck every week.
jerrygarcia said...
Thank you, Bill OBoyle. You have successfully ruined the only spot we had in this area. We specifically asked you to not reveal the location of the spot, and you did not heed to our requests. Because of you, our place is now leveled, 7 years of hard work and dedication gone. I hope you're happy, you got all your precious articles, and you will still receive your paycheck every week.
the climber said...
I had the opportunity to be in N. Conway NH for 6 months last year. North Conway has a population of under 3000 people. It is a tiny town compared to Wilkes-Barre, and yet it has its own public skate and bmx park. One day these young men will mature. When they do they will be running our businesses ,holding our public offices, or judging from their understanding of physics ,calc, and geometry they may be our future engineers and architects. The city should be encouragingthese types of challenging athletic venues, ?a healthy body is a healthy mind?.
JT said...
Well i'm Jon Pavidus one of the kids that help build 309 trails and this is a Tribute Video About the 309 Trails i made. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnQHQ0rS1Tc
hazleton_bmx said...
FYI - There is a BMX Park in Luzerne County. Hazleton has a very nice track that is underutilized. Check out www.hazletoncityview.com or search for Hazleton BMX on facebook.
Way-Out said...
I think these young kids should all go hang out and ride on Publicy Square.Then the cities around here will see how many hundreds of them are actually doing something other than getting into trouble.I feel sorry for the youth of our area,our future leaders,business owners,policemen.They most likely will leave this area,with nothing but bad memories of the people in power who did them wrong.
drunknuncle said...
We should be empowering these Kids..
kevinallen said...
well they didnt post my hole blog ill have to re update
MrsJaneQPublic said...
Wow...doesn't ANYone remember Sickler's Bicycle shop and Rocky Ledge BMX racetrack in Courtdale? It was a weekly event for the entire family! My son was 5 when he started racing BMX. He had issues with organized sports, but had no problem pedaling around a track and burning off all that excess energy. 30 years later, he still has his collection of trophies and his helmet in a trophy case. They were some of his fondest memories as a child growing up with ADHD. Kids of all ages were competing, so why can't they do it again? Charge a couple of bucks to participate, and give a small trophy to the kids at the end of the year. No one got hurt as long as a rider had the proper padding. The whoop-dee-doos were great excitement for the kids, and they pedaled their legs off just to try to get that $3 trophy at the end of the day. At Rocky Ledge, a lot of the kids weren't able to afford the weekly race fees, so they got SPONSORS, just like the bowlers and the baseball, football...
MrsJaneQPublic said...
At Rocky Ledge, a lot of the kids weren't able to afford the weekly race fees, so they got SPONSORS, just like the bowlers and the baseball, football and soccer teams, who, by the way, suffered a LOT more injuries than any of the BMX events that I attended over the years. We traveled to BMX events in Vineland, NJ and several other states, just for competitions. They even had PARENT races at times, just for the parents to see how much FUN it actually was, not to mention the EXERCISE the kids were getting in the FRESH AIR and SUNSHINE. It's funny how they can afford new parks for everything else, but not for BMX. Maybe they should eliminate swing sets next. You know how dangerous they are!
MrsJaneQPublic said...
At Rocky Ledge, a lot of the kids weren't able to afford the weekly race fees, so they got SPONSORS, just like the bowlers and the baseball, football and soccer teams, who, by the way, suffered a LOT more injuries than any of the BMX events that I attended over the years. We traveled to BMX events in Vineland, NJ and several other states, just for competitions. They even had PARENT races at times, just for the parents to see how much FUN it actually was, not to mention the EXERCISE the kids were getting in the FRESH AIR and SUNSHINE. It's funny how they can afford new parks for everything else, but not for BMX. Maybe they should eliminate swing sets next. You know how dangerous they are!
kevinallen said...
This 4 or 5 parts I tried to post yesterday Well I?m contacting a lawyer Monday to see if these kids have the right to take some kind of legal action towards the county. 1 for not giving these kids the chance to protect what they built. 2 for to some kind of chance to speak at city/ council on the matter. This happen in the city close to my home in California and the city was to give up a certain amount of land up bike riders. The kids have a few rights one being. Adverse possession The occupation of the property must be for a statutory period of time (ranging from 7 to 20 years depending on the state) second being. Eminent domain has been a part of Pennsylvania law for decades. The most common uses have been acquiring property for public projects such as new highways its ok for them but not for these kids to have that same right. Something in that nature I?ll find out. United States Constitution, Fifth Amendment No person shall ? be deprived of life, liberty, or property, witho...
kevinallen said...
nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation." Here is what I don?t understand in front of every home there is an easement if these kids did a trick or two and got hurt that that piece of land. Would the city be responsible and are the going to start to remove them tomorrow. I think not. These kids did trespass on the land but no one was citied. The city in the past year recently founded out about this location so one of the rights they maybe entitled to was not given hence the city broke these kids constitution rights. Top it all off it was for a good propose to keep them love doing what they do. I am an avid bike rider and it upsets me. I am now 33 and have been riding bikes for 21 years mainly street but who doesn?t love dirt trails.
kevinallen said...
Till this day I still get stop by the police/ cops and asked to leave places. I have been kicked out off a lot of public property and it?s pretty sad when you think about it. These kids built this to enjoy it and one day maybe we will see one of these kids in future the Olympics. If not we currently got xgames. But how do you think the sport has grown and produce billions of dollars. It?s because places like 309 as well back yards. School, court houses, and shopping strips you name it . The city could of put up signs no trespassing and if a kid got hurt they could have citied him or her. I think that a kid trespassing is wrong but it?s not like they could prove it or they could post signs stating at own risk what ever to protect them.
kevinallen said...
I?m sure the city/ county could figure it out. They use eminent domain to obtain land legally because the have that right. So these kids should use it back. This county is already in has a bad rep for kickbacks and bribery, or the usual corruption the county should be careful about liability or insurance that I understand. But come on this has gone to far any one has picture of this place and with them in it and or of age would love to see the gab from when the picture is till now its it might be used to help out this. Send them to Nivekrdz1 @ yahoo I?m not going to lie I?m upset. It?s more profitable to give citations then let them do what they love to do. Any one has any? Or want to follow up on how I mad out let me know.
Drbill said...
BMX kids, keep a united front. Contact several national media sources which would probably love to do a segment on this. Call them, send letters and your video. Include newsclippings and reader comments. Even try Oprah! Proud that you are standing up for your beliefs. That's how this country was started.