NO SKATEBOARD PARK IN LITTLE VALLEY PARK!!

SIGN THE PETITION....AND Contact the City to voice your opposition. Call: 435-627-4530   Email: parksplanning@sgcity.org

COME TO A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WITH A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT  -  TUESDAY OCTOBER 22 - 5:30 PM  -  2973 SOUTH SLATE RIDGE CIRCLE.

WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY, THE SAINT GEORGE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A SKATEBOARD PARK IN LITTLE VALLEY PARK.

Our community strongly believes in preserving our green, open spaces, specifically in the Little Valley Park. We were recently alerted that the City of St. George plans to construct a skatepark adjacent to our homes in Little Valley Park. The city did not inform us of their intention or request our input. The city council has approved this initiative and is moving forward on building plans. We need to act now to stop this project! 

The park is a significant source of tranquility, beauty, and safety for our neighborhood. The proposed construction site has been a haven for children and families to engage in creative and organized play in an open area not designated as a playing field for soccer, football, and other sports. Little Valley Elementary School and Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School are adjacent to Little Valley Park, where children travel to and from school each day on the sidewalk next to the proposed skatepark site. The splash pad, climbing gyms, pavilions, and trails next to the proposed site provide children and families with a safe, green space for refuge and enjoyment. Constructing the skatepark would require the removal of established grass, bushes, large trees, and open green space and replacing them with cement.

Further, the proposed building site of the skatepark was originally designated as a quiet zone in the master park plan. Its transformation into a skatepark would shatter this peace, replacing nature sounds with the sound of grinding wheels and crashing skateboards.  Apart from the anticipated noise problem, the potential increase in crime is a significant deterrent. Studies indicate a correlation between skateparks and an increase in petty offenses, disturbing the peace, and sometimes more significant crimes. The proposed skatepark would take away a safe space for our children to play, replacing it with a potential hotspot for unwanted behaviors.

An additional concern rests on the cost-benefit analysis of this transformation. Skateboarding does not have a significant enough presence in our community to warrant such a change, especially given the park facilities in that location are already in dire need of significant maintenance. Surely, St. George City's resources would be better allocated towards restoring and improving existing parks and recreational facilities, rather than replacing much-loved grass and trees with a cold expanse of cement. Not to mention the increased liability costs associated with skate parks, which is a disquieting consideration for our community safety.

Our plea today is simple. We call for St. George City to reevaluate its development plan for Little Valley Park. Instead of constructing the proposed skatepark, we ask the city to prioritize the preservation of our peaceful, safe, and green Little Valley Park. Please sign this petition to help us protect Little Valley Park. Thank you!