EMAIL BLITZ! OLNEY, MD PREFAB NIGHTMARE!!!

[John Bracken]

Hey guys and gals, I cross posted this on several skate fourms. Olney really needs to hear from the skating community that they are about to make a $750k mistake! I don't know about you, but I would rather skate concrete instead of a modular (prefab) skatepark anyday. Hell, even a kinky concrete skatepark is better than prefab! Here is the post with all the info and emails. One email sent to everyone on the list will be fine.
There is an emergency meeting at one of the committee members house on June 23. That info will be at the bottom of the post. Try to make the meeting if you can, if not still send those emails!!!
The town of Olney, MD is planning to spend $750k on a modular skatepark. The numbers break down like this: (estimate)

size of park 13k sq ft
$200k equipment
$250k + for breaking up asphalt parking lot, re-grading the lot (on a slope), and re-pouring asphalt for the skating surface.
the rest of the $ will be used for moving light poles, creating a kid drop off area, etc.

With the entire budget, Olney could have one of the premier skate facilities on the east coast. Just the idea of destroying the parking lot to rebuild the lot so they can install modular equipment that has a short lifespan is the most retarded thing I have ever heard of.

These are the people to blitz with emails.
jimenaryan@comcast.net Jimena Ryan (Fundraising... wants concrete!!!)

Joe.fritsch@verizon.net Joe Fritsch (committee member)

Jimlapping@aol.com Jim Lapping (committee member)

cicarter20833@yahoo.com Chuck Carter (committee member)

herman_taylor@house.state.md.us Herman Taylor (congressman, got state funding for the park, $300k)

ellen.Masciocchi@mncppc-mc.org Ellen Masciocchi (person in charge)

county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov Montgomery County Council

As you can see, Ellen and Herman are the main people... the others are on the committee, but should be CC'ed too.

Be nice, but be firm. Points to cover are:
durability of concrete vs. modular
How concrete is preferred over modular as a skating surface.
Design/build advantage
challenge of concrete parks over modular
not selling the local youth short by installing a "easy skatepark" (their idea of getting an easy skatepark for the local youths)

Thanks for reading and helping with this cause! If you have any questions, please email me.
John Bracken
john at johnbracken dot com

Again, thanks for helping! If you want to go to the meeting, here are the directions.

CONCRETE vs, MODULAR MEETING
Wed, June 23 7:30pm

Directions to Jimena Ryan's House :

From SHERWOOD HIGH SCHOOL:

Take 108 to New Hampshire Avenue and make a RIGHT. Continue NORTH on New Hampshire Avenue for 4-5 miles. (Go past Brighton Dam Rd) Make a RIGHT on Rocky Glen Drive and a LEFT on Rocky Glen Court. Follow to end of Cul De Sac - House is #13 Rocky Glen Court . Jimena's phone is 301-570-2387

John Bracken

[Jack Quarantillo]

John,
In case you missed my email,
I'll be there.

Q

[Wes Eastridge]

Can someone give an address for the Concrete vs Modular meeting that is tonight? I can't find any "Rocky Glen Court" in Olney Maryland.

[Jack Quarantillo]

WesE,
Try this addy:

13 Rocky Glen Ct.
Brookeville, MD 20833

mappoint has it, as does mapquest

Q

[Wes Eastridge]

Aaaa-Haaaa!!! Thanks Jack!


Can anyone tell me a little bit about this meeting? It says that Jimena wants concrete - So is physical attendance very important for the concrete riders’ support? I could just call JohnD on free cellphone network during the meeting and listen in / give my input, if physical representation is not important.

[John Bracken]

I think the more skater we have to show up the better, but I heard from one committee member today (Jim Lapping). Jim is for concrete 100%. It seems the entire committee and skaters want concrete, but as he put it

"I think this meeting is really being held to get you and the other skaters quite. I think Ellen and the County are gun ho to just get a park. They’re more concerned about the opening date then how the park will be built."
"This process has been very discouraging and it seems to me that parks are just being made so local governments can pat themselves on the back and say they gave the kids what they want like no matter how how bad the park is like Alexandria, VA and make money in the process."

There you have it folks... straight from a committee member.
Jimena threatened to call the papers last night. Maybe if the meeting does not go well, that would be the next course.
There is also talk of letting this 3/4 of a million mistake go on and maybe make the proposed Silver Spring skatepark out of concrete.

[Wes Eastridge]

"I think this meeting is really being held to get you and the other skaters quite.

I can’t figure out what that was supposed to mean. Did Jim leave a word out or did he spell something wrong?

I still don’t know what this meeting is for.

I thought the meeting was for advocates of concrete parks to brainstorm some ways to sway the people in charge.

Can someone explain, with their own words, what the purpose of this meeting is?


Edit:
As for the park proposed for Silver Spring, I say it is a neccessity to get on that too, and quick (before the modular park people get to them with their evil propaganda). Gotta find out who is on that park committee.

[Jack Quarantillo]

I think this meeting is really being held to get you and the other skaters quite.

I think the last word should be quiet.

Great!!! We should be quiet while they piss away 3/4 of a Million dollars on yet another crap Park just so they can pat themselves on the back???

The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Q

[Anthony Smallwood]

Kick some ass, Q!!
What's up dude? How's Michael?? Did you get your tripod clip from Dillon??

I just got back in town and I'm wondering if anyone knows what happened at the Green Skate Lab meeting. Thumbs up? Thumbs down?
Clue me in.

[Jack Quarantillo]

Anthony,
I didn't know JD had my clip!?!?!?!

I've seen him 2X in 2 weeks...

Mebbe Saturday at the Park and Race...

We seem to have their ear @ Olney, but I think the GSL was a bit of a bust..

JD can give better details, as I was not in attendance @GSL.

Q

[Jack Quarantillo]

The tide may be turning.

If anyone has some actual numbers of maintenance costs on mod parks vs crete, or examples of places that have moved away from modular after bad experiences, please send them to me.

I need it ASAP, as the head of the committee is meeting with county peeps on Friday.

jaq -at- his -dot- com

PLEASE HELP!!!
Thanks,
Q

WesE,
I'm sorry. I forgot to tell Dillon you called last night. We had a great meeting last night. John Bracken and Jeff Perona really know their $#!+.

[Rene Hayden]

here's a thought--

why not call up Charles County and St. Mary's county officials--I'm sure they have some good feedback on why they chose concrete over ramptech and how bitchin' their skateparks are.

just a thought--probably already done.

Rene.

[John Bracken]

Calling up other sucessful skateparks would be too easy! When I talked to Ellen on June 14, she (who is in charge of the project and was advised by the "skate consultant" that no one has ever hear of) did not know that Charles County and St Mary's had concrete skateparks!!!
Talk about living under a rock... or having a bad consultant! (I pick the latter).
You can bet that now they are making the calls and visiting the above mentioned places.