As many of the local Skateboarders in Staten Island know the Ben Soto Skatepark is the worst rated park in NYC. The obstacles are mostly built from recycled Jungle Gym parts from the playground next to the skatepark and the leftover Coleman Playground Lower East Side Skatepark obstacles that are breaking apart more and more as time goes on. This shows the neglect for any of the skateboarder's interests here on Staten Island. The metal on most of the obstacles have rusted over time, and others have cracks and concrete breaking apart that pose potential health risks for all the skateboarders who wish to utilize any of them. Brooklyn was just approved for a multi million dollar project for multiple skateparks in low income areas, I believe we should be able to obtain funding to rebuild a park that some of us hold near and dear to our hearts. Personally I started skateboarding in this park, met some of my best friends here, and made countless memories back when the park had ramps, and everyone would come skate it at one point of the day. Most times i drive past the park and its a ghost town. Faber Skatepark has also seen a decline in skateboarders in the recent year, and I feel with a brand new park, it would not only bring out those who have enjoyed the park from its grand opening in 2005, but also any new comers who are interested but don't have the space to learn. I've been a skateboarder for 13+ years and find it difficult to learn anything on these obstacles, I can only imagine someone who doesn't have the same amount of expierence and would cause fatal harm.
Lets bring our community back, and have it expand with a new park in such a great, accessible location!
