Skateboarding in the Scott Fountain

[Detroitnerd]

Sweet awesome red herring you got there. Since you really cant defeat my reasoning you insult my intelligence instead... Again. If you feel like we need to discuss race in Detroit how about you start a race thread, pretty sure its been discussed again and again and again? Race has zero to do with marble, skateboards, or a fountain on Belle Isle. As for your remarks, you aren't as clever as you seem to think.

Hey, if you have a problem with anything I post here, take it up with the administrator.

If not, STFU.

Buh-bye.

[Hermod]

A shaming or talking to them or engaging them in a rapport is NOT going to work. If they're there skateboarding already, they don't care. These attempts will get you nothing but insults.

Obviously, if the law approaches it in a friendly manner and gets insults back, the little shit should get some nightstick action on his thick skull.

[Gpwrangler]

When I drove around Belle Isle on Sunday, I stopped by to take a look at the Scott Fountain. I noticed 10-12 guys skateboarding in the dry fountain.

Can that damage the marble?

Yes, it can under some circumstances.

There, someone finally answered the question.

[jackie5275]

I used to live in south Warren and I would take my daughter to some of the parks. There often would be groups of middle-school aged kids saying "fuck" and "nigger".

On several occasions I politely asked the kids to please stop, citing my 2-3 year old as the reason.

Every single time the kids responded politely and modified their behavior.

Sometimes just asking nicely works.

That's not been my experience or that of anyone I know. However, you cite middle schoolers. I think the OP mentioned college age folks. Big difference. Middle schoolers are still close enough to their parents at that age where there is still some respect of adults.

[cla1945]

I'm sure that skateboarding can damage the fountain. Not only could the white marble be damaged, but it has 109 water outlets in the shape of dolphins, turtles, lions and human figures that a can be damaged as well. I would think that the State Police would make sure this type of activity didn't take place in the fountain. I would also hope that the State Police would enforce any laws prohibiting this type of activity inside or around the fountain. I would have said something to the skateboarders or called the police in front of them and stuck around until the law showed up.

[Scottathew]

That's not been my experience or that of anyone I know. However, you cite middle schoolers. I think the OP mentioned college age folks. Big difference. Middle schoolers are still close enough to their parents at that age where there is still some respect of adults.

I can certainly understand how the groups may be different.

My main point is that both regular folks and police can simply ask someone to stop before needing to escalate.

In the scenario here, depending on the vibe I got from the guys, I may resort to just calling the police, or I might politely mention that I think they're damaging the fountain first.

However, I feel the police should just simply tell them to stop, and if they get compliance then great. Otherwise, then start writing tickets, etc...

DetroitNerd had a great point about giving them a place where they can do what they want, like a skate park.

[Gistok]

Either the state needs to patrol the fountain better... or they need to do what the city did throughout the cold months every year.... put a friggin' fence around it...

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...elle-isle.html

So stop shooting the messenger, as well as going off on silly [[but predictable) tangents...

[Llama]

DNR could start by just posting some "Fragile Surface - Please Do Not Skate" signs around whenever the fountain is dry.

I do think a grant-funded community-volunteer driven skate park on Belle Isle is a great idea. And it would not take so much space as to interfere with relaxation.

Of course I'd also want some sort of grant-funded shuttle service from Jefferson to the island to go along with it. Electric vehicles like the Disney parking lot shuttles, perhaps? I think those would cost less in liability insurance and fuel [[recharging). Slow is fine. Slow is good.

Ann Arbor's new skate park is nice, has rules and is right on a bus line.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ann-arbor-skatepark-ann-arbor-2
http://www.a2skatepark.org/skatepark-rules-regulations/