Council backs pilot program to put scooters in city skatepark
Ollie Schneider, Will Neubauer, Rider Cooley, Cooper Keane, Noah Glick, Nate Neubauer and Cooper Lindsey line up with their scooters in front of the Hermosa Beach Skate Park. The City council on Tuesday approved a pilot program to let the two-wheeled vehicles in the skatepark. Photo
The wheels of change rolled through Hermosa Beach Tuesday night, as the City Council unanimously approved a pilot program to allow scooters inside the Community Center skatepark.
Starting May 1, the skatepark will be open to scooter riders along with the skateboarders and in-line skaters, the park’s current users. Staff with the city’s Community Resources Department said they will monitor how the addition of scooters impacts park usage and safety. They will report back to the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Board at the body’s June meeting, and eventually to the City Council, who would amend the city’s municipal code to make the change permanent.
Scooters have become increasingly popular among the city’s younger residents in recent years, with many relying on them instead of bikes or skateboards for transportation to school, and for fun. Scooter-obsessed youth have descended on past parks and recreation commission meetings to press for a change to the rules, including in December, when the commission voted to support opening the park to scooters.
No children spoke on Tuesday, a fact some parents attributed to conflicts with Little League baseball games, but the parents said that scooter kids remained set on opening the park.
“I’m proudly speaking on behalf of about 60 boys,” said resident Arcadia Berjonneau.
The council voted to structure the trial period so that, unless safety concerns or other issues emerge during the 30 days, staff will be able to extend the trial period until the ordinance goes into effect.
“These kids are going to be grown up by the time we make a decision on this,” joked Councilmember Mary Campbell.
While waiting for the city to make a decision, Hermosa’s youth have been getting their scootering fix by traveling to Manhattan Beach’s new skatepark and other skateparks in the region. According to the analysis done by staff, Hermosa’s is the only park in the region at which scooters are not allowed.