Skate Park Completion On Schedule
Construction continues on Ojai’s long-awaited skate park as workers add gravel to help potential drainage system issues. The park is scheduled to be open on Ojai Day, Oct. 16. Funding for the $3 million facility was raised by contributors and the city of Ojai. Photo by Mary M. Long
Baker takes control of skate park construction after concerns arise
By Mary M. Long
The dream team arrived and started shooting the concrete for the Ojai Skate Park early Tuesday morning. This is the same team that built the skate facility for the X games and, most recently, the Maloof Money Cup, which is now under construction in Orange County.
Joe Ciaglio, owner of California Skate Parks, has donated pool coping for the rim of the 9.5-foot-deep skate bowl at the rear of the park. “This is no small thing,” said the foreman Sergio Acosta, smiling. This coping was developed by Ciaglio specifically for skateboarding and is the same surface they installed in famed skateboarder Tony Hawk’s home, state-of-the-art facility.
A snag in the project unraveled this week resulting in an urgent on-site meeting Wednesday morning between volunteer construction liaison Chet Hilgers, representing Skate Ojai with Bob Daddi and Chris Hilgers, city engineer, Glen Hawks, Public Works director Mike Culver, Earth Systems representatives Rick Beard and Todd Trandy, Parks and Recreation director Dale Sumersille, Councilwoman Betsy Clapp, former City Clerk Carlon Strobel and foreman Acosta. The Hilgers had been asking for an accounting of the Skate Park construction funds for some time, which allegedly had not been provided by the city under Kersnar’s management. As additional construction expenses had been submitted, there was some confusion as to what money was available and what the current accounting was. The change work order involved additional drainage components and permeable fill soil to ensure the integrity of the construction and the longevity of the park. Gravel has been added to the bottom of the skate bowl for additional drainage, as well as the Earth System’s engineer calling for a permeable soil mix to replace the hydrophobic native soil to backfill the retaining walls. This will protect the walls so they will not be exposed to the pressure of the contraction and expansion of clay soil.
“The purpose here is to build the best skate park possible,” said Chet Hilgers, who was adamant that the basic structure not be compromised from the foundation up.
Hilger’s query to city officials when they tried to economize on these necessary components was, “Where’s the money?” This meeting led to an urgent Thursday morning meeting at City Hall where Ojai Skate Park representatives Chet Hilgers and Bob Daddi met with the interim city manager John Baker in closed session to discuss the management of the park construction. According to Hilgers the meeting went extremely well and he was very happy with the new interim city manager. “He said he will be the Skate Park project manager from now on and will take responsibility for the project,” said Hilgers, happily. He went on to say that Baker reassured them that there were no issues regarding money for the Skate Park based on his preliminary review, and that an accounting will be released soon. He claimed that Baker wanted to make it really clear that the Skate Park would be completed and done on time. The official Ojai Skate Park opening and ribbon cutting has been confirmed for Ojai Day, Oct. 16.
Its such a pain waiting for skateparks to be finished. I remember how bad it was when they built our second concrete park, kids where sneaking in ruining the finish which kept pushing the date back.
insight,
……………Thank you…And why is this so folk???…..New Jersey Mikes????Ojai Valley Inn?
Wann’t Kersnar always in favor of the small town atmosphere????
I think it would be nice if for once the beloved Suza could chime in with this one…No… Dead air ,or I have no idea what your talking about Redneck…
I smell something rotten and corpurate here…
Bravo Insight!!!! Dig harder and see where it takes you…Back to you Suza!!!
I was hoping to read some insightful comments about the article. What was wrong with the skate park finances that required the new interim City Manager to make himself the project manager and is that why Kersnar was fired??
I was at home July 5 I think.. What happened?
I do see both sides and read both liberal and conservative newspapers. And I know some outstanding Boy Scouts, too. However, this is just another way to slam the president and that’s what the Republicans do non-stop because they are running scared.
The point is, the president may choose what events he wishes to attend and he cannot go to them all. The conservative news channels are also criticizing Michelle Obama for taking a trip to Spain with her daughter — a trip they are paying for with their own funds! Any little thing to find wrong with a president who is trying to clean up the mess left by our previous president.
I have lived in Ojai all of my life and I’m feed up with all of these lazy ass guy that think they are some wut…I’m not happy with what this redneck says exactly, but me like others makes me think.. My Girlfriends and me would make crafts (deleted) during the summer to make money, at least we did something instead of getting high and putting down others that at least did (deleted) with their time. I have to say hey to the Rneck with the whole Boy Scout (deleted) with this punk ass bitch Anne, you don’t like it? get yo own club Bitch!!! jai soo cool but we have to put up with too many punks that want to change it into another Barane…Yo get a brain and stand up! I used to be one of those OSL lackey bitches, but now I’m going to do something with my life and my little girls. I’m working hard part time cleanning houses and going to VC to do something with my life. I only have one and I’m not going to hang out at some skatepark to smoke dope and hide lids in my babys diapers to make some other loser happy. Yeah Tito, I have a good idea who you are, and you need to represent what you claim to be on the street. Also you need to get a job and pay for the damage you did on July 5th. REPRESENT! TITO!
No Tito,
Not loser, “LOOSER”! but loser would make a good condement for looser. It means someone with no social or self control, disconected and detatched,little or no moral values. Mainly just a loser slacker.
And Anne,
Not Fox news, but KPFK was where I heard it first and they thought it was a joyful and excelent diss on Obummers part. Also they are a private organization that recieve no public funding, so they can make their rules as they see fit.
Tell you what Anne, you are in the wilderness 40 miles from civilization with a broken leg. Not who would you want to help you and get you home safely, and Eagle Scout, or Tito? My guess you would choose Tito just to make a statement but would lose your life to prove the point.Yet you are probally one of that think that anyone that dosen’t belive in your cause are EVIL. The stupidity with your logic with gay men and the Boy Scouts is that there is a feeling of entitlement to force others to accept an opposing view, ideollogy, belief, and so on. This Gay thing with the scouts is old and been going on for over 10 years… The absolute stupidity in your logic is one thing… In over 10 years tell me, were are the Gay Scouts? If it’s that big of a deal then start your own organization for like minded people.10 years + nothing! By the way, should a Mosque be forced to accept Gays and Lesbians into their religion? Not Fox, but “The San Francisco Chronicle” posted the question, a liberal rag.Good to see you read and listen to both sides Anne.
Yoville:
Huh? Was I talkin to you? Was I talkin to you? No!!
But..you must be attached to that moron G.R.
Why should the president go to a Boy Scout jamboree? Maybe when they change their policies regarding gay young men. Seems like you get your new from Fox News, as that is what they have been pushing recently.
Stop freely using the term “looser” because I don’t know what that even means… Ohhhhhh loser?
True Guy,
your sweet, But since you say I’m stupid I don’t wish to mess it up. tell you what sweetie, you show me how to do it so I,’m sure not to mess it up. Here, you can use my fork..Kiss Kiss…
Gentalman Redneck:
Please go to the nearest electrical outlet, and push your fork into it!! That way you don’t show how stupid you are!!
So old scul as you say is for fools. I guess your right Tito, the biggest looseres the Boy Scouts just celibrated their 100th aniversary and every president has gone to the jamborees. This like I said was the 100th year, and if the current Comander and Chief would rather go on “The View” instead of the jamboree, Well i guess he may see them as foolish. By the way, he did sent them a 1.5 min Youtube video.
I hope Tito that when you are old and maybe in a home and ignored by the younger generation then, you will remember these words, ” It’s All About Me!”
Well Tito, your insights were very interesting, and sorry I don’t sit on this blog all day or spend my time texting or playin vid games dawg, and I would like to write more but I need to go and do my volenteering at Transition house like a nice looser…
I was hoping to read some insightful comments about the article. What was wrong with the skate park finances that required the new interim City Manager to make himself the project manager and is that why Kersnar was fired?
I think that erector sets and woodburning tools were banned because of personal safety and fire hazards, jigsaw puzzles because of choking hazards, and board games because someone had to lose and that was bad for their self esteem.
do you really think if I buy an electronic I’m going to let it sit there? No, I’ll get my money back. And heck if the batteries do stop taking charge I’ll buy a new one
“Damn you must a have boring (deleted) life.”
It’ll go on long after your non-replaceable batteries stop taking a charge and your insecure trendy me-too tech o’ the moment suffers forced obsolescence and turns into expensive paperweights.
Spend on, dude. Help keep China strong.
fully agree 8 Aug 10 at 4:07 pm
poster
So you created everything you enjoy? Damn you must a have boring (deleted) life.
modern = whining about everything and expecting everyone except for you to do something about it?
Got it. Modern. Modern people. People who created none of the toys they use, but who are, in fact, merely users. (And whiners.) Whoop-dee-(deleted)-doo.
If I recall, an erector set came in a box with a bunch of stupid metal pieces. You were supposed to build something with it. I just threw it in the trash can because it took too long. I think I went and sat down and watched t.v. instead.
Nobody plays board games because we have phones and video games with advanced capabilities, it’s called “modern”… And they didn’t have that in your youth so stop complaining about today’s youth because you are probably 50 something and just sit on ovnblog all day waiting for that next blog to criticize with sarcasm… And WTF is an erector set?
I have a very stupid and weird question to ask, since nearly everone here on these blogs claim. What ever happened to tools for woodworking and such,i.e, woodburning art,erector sets,puzzles, and board games? Even more stupid to ask,there were these things we had that could take you to different places and allow to to have a miriad of adventures, I think the were called BOOKS? Im not sure,but as a kid we would use this things and share the stories with each other. Has anyone heard of these things? Maybe I cam find some on ebay?
I doo have to give credit to a handful of the looser kids, what the mainstream kids refer them as, that participate in 4H, Our Radio club, and having lemonaid stands and such but they are out of touch with society according to most of you, since they may think like me…
Complain wildly, blame everything on government, blast the newspaper/media — and make sure spoiled kids have everything they say they want (more fun! more hanging out!) delivered on a silver platter. This is definitely how you build a healthy community.
I can almost see Russia from my backyard too.
@Mary One: How sad for you and your children! I have raised three sons in this valley, and while I’ve seen bored kids, I definitely have not experienced in my own children or in their large groups of friends any “lazy” or “loser” kids. Perhaps your acorns did not fall very far from their bitter-sounding tree.
After this skate park is complete re-open the bowling alley. After the bowling alley is open, add a pool to the recreation department so that all the kids in this hot valley can go swimming at a low expense. After the recreation department is expanded and actually looks like a place our teens want to hang out then see that the small businesses in this town free up some jobs for teens over the age of 16 and under the age of 21. After all of this happens and Ojai actually resembles a place that includes youth without rich parents we may not be the pot smoking capital of Ventura county housing far too many lazy, bored, loser kids surrounded by negativity.
$3 MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY!! Ha ha I think you have this confused with the other project with the $500,000 dressing rooms. Doesn’t anyone bother to count the zeros anymore? No wonder the economy is in the mess it’s in. RIP Cody, you are loved by so many.
Tasteless is putting it mildly. This is an effort by the city to cover itself for its years-long dawdling about the skateboard park. That the OVN published the city’s PR puff piece only reaffirms that its new publisher will continue the tradition of using the newspaper as a Chamber of Commerce newsletter, which is why I don’t subscribe and never will unless and until real journalistic standards are imposed.
I dont see this as tasteless, maybe it gives kids who were going to do the same as the Doolittle kid, some hope that they will be able to skate somewhere soon. It is tragic what happened, but it’s not going to stop life for everyone in the valley. Thank you OVN for keeping up updated on the skate park construction.
This is a tasteless article to post within the same week after a tragedy of a skating incident of a Ojai youth…OVN, your timing couldn’t be more corrupt, and especially since this article is so dry and mechanical in nature. Take it off…take it off…
This is such a insensitive article to post at this time, please remove it NOW!!!