BROWNSTOWN
Recreational wheeled vehicles no longer are allowed at Heritage Park in Brownstown.
According to an ordinance recently passed by the town council, people are prohibited from riding or operating bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, inline skates, rollerblades or scooters at the park at 121 E. Walnut St. on the Jackson County Courthouse square.
Anyone who violates the ordinance will be fined $75. If the fine is not paid within seven days, it increases to $100.
The ordinance came from a suggestion from the town’s parks board.
Because more people are using the facility, the parks board thought it would be a good idea to ban recreational wheeled vehicles from the area to prevent someone from getting hurt.
Initially, the town council wanted to ban those types of vehicles on just the pavilion. After discussion during the May 1 meeting, however, the council decided to have town attorney Rodney Farrow include the whole park in the ordinance.
Councilwoman Sharon Koch, who serves as a liaison to the parks board, said that board also wanted to see the ordinance created to prevent damage.
Skateboarders had been seen on the concrete ramp at the pavilion using it as a place to do various tricks, and town officials didn’t want the new facility to be damaged.
Clerk-Treasurer David Willey said kids typically used it as a stopping point, congregating there for a short time to talk and go up and down the ramp a few times and then head off somewhere else.
Someone had suggested putting up a railing on the east end of the pavilion where there is a step down to the sidewalk because someone with a depth perception problem may not realize there is a drop-off.
Putting up a railing, though, may pique interest from the skateboarders to use along with the concrete ramp, Koch said.
Council President Sally Lawson said there are a couple of low rails at the Jackson County Park in Brownstown that skateboarders can use, and they also have been seen doing tricks in other areas of town.
Lawson said a small sign could be erected near the pavilion to remind people about what’s prohibited.