Tired of being chased out of the local skate park and risking
tickets for riding on the city’s sidewalks, a handful of young bike
riders addressed the City Council this week and asked for a place
of their own.
Hollister – Tired of being chased out of the local skate park and risking tickets for riding on the city’s sidewalks, a handful of young bike riders addressed the City Council this week and asked for a place of their own.
“Us bikers have no place to ride,” said 16-year-old Dion Cuneo during the public comment period at Monday’s council meeting.
For Cuneo and his friends, who rode up to City Hall Monday on their bikes, the appearance at the meeting was just the first step in their quest for a bike park. The group plans to circulate a petition amongst their fellow bike riders and keep going to council meetings.
“We’re going to take it all the way, until we get it,” said Cuneo – who has emerged as the unofficial leader of the local bike set – after the meeting. “Whenever there’s a meeting, we’re going to keep hassling them about it.”
There was a time when local bike riders had a place of their own in Hollister. Three years ago volunteers got together and built a bike track in a county-owned dirt lot adjacent to the Daniel Yetter Memorial Skate Park at Veterans Memorial Park.
But after only eight months, the track was closed because of lack of a concessionaire, who was to have the duel role of selling refreshments and supervising the track.
“The supervisors wanted to have someone on site to make sure the kids are wearing their safety equipment,” Assistant Director of Public Works Peter Corn said, adding that the need for a concessionaire was advertised, and nobody stepped forward to take the job.
In the intervening years, the bike track has become overgrown with weeds and tire-popping thorns. Plans to turn the lot into a soccer field in the coming months leave little hope that the bike track will be resurrected.
As a last resort, biker rider have taken to riding at the skate park, which is located on county land but operated by the city. Doing so, however, risks tickets, fines and even jail.
Bike riding at the park has always been prohibited. In April the City Council approved an ordinance that makes it a misdemeanor.
“We just want a place to ride with out getting in trouble,” Cuneo said.
Aside from the legalities, the mix of bikes and skateboards at the park is a dangerous combination, city officials say.
“It’s not designed for bikes,” said Community Services Director Clay Lee. “Since we don’t police the facility on an ongoing basis, a pecking-order happens with skate and bike guys.”
Cuneo said he has seen those problems first-hand.
“If a bike gets in the way of a skateboard, there’s fights,” he said.
City council members were impressed that Cuneo took the initiative to address them, and said, after the meeting that they were open to working with the biker riders to find a solution.
“That leaves an impression on me. It shows maturity and thought process, instead of just complaining and saying ‘we want,'” said Councilman Doug Emerson. “We know the big difficulties – money, financing and maintenance. But certainly if these kids want to take the initiative, we should not discourage that.”
Mayor Pauline Valdivia and Councilwoman Monica Johnson agree.
“We should develop something where we can hear this kids and work out a solution,” Johnson said.
Valdivia said that the biker riders should move forward with a petition and organize their ranks.
“It was a step in the right direction,” she said. “It’s a good approach, the right approach.”
Sheriff Curtis Hill, who attended Monday’s meeting, said that he was in favor of a bike park, as long as safety equipment was required, and that requirement was enforced.
“It’s a great idea,” he said. “It’s incumbent upon the community to provide opportunities for young people.”
Luke Roney covers local politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected]
