JACKSON – Municipal officials have adopted an ordinance that establishes the Jackson Township Parks and Playgrounds Fund.
Township Council President Robert Nixon, Vice President Barry Calogero, Councilman Ken Bressi, Councilman Alex Sauickie and Councilman Andrew Kern voted “yes” on a motion to adopt the ordinance on May 14.
The fund will allow individuals and entities to sponsor specific sections of township-owned and maintained parks or playgrounds each year for an initial sponsorship of two years, with one-year subsequent sponsorships, according to the ordinance. A sign at the park or playground will identify the sponsor.
The fund will be dedicated solely to purchases and maintenance of township-owned and maintained parks and playground equipment, recreational sports facilities services, benches, picnic tables and equipment, according to the ordinance.
Donations made for the fund will not be credited toward local, county or any
other property tax, but the account will provide for donations that are income tax
deductible for the sponsors.
During the public hearing that was held prior to the adoption of the ordinance, Connor Fletcher, 22, of Jackson, returned to speak about the condition of the Jackson Skate Park. At a previous meeting, Fletcher told officials the condition of the facility is important to him and the town’s skateboarders.
“We have been in contact with Jesse (Clayton), he is the founder of 5th Pocket SkateParks, and we are trying to work something out with him. I have also gotten a decent amount of donations on GoFundMe and I need to know (how) to withdraw the money,” Fletcher said.
Nixon said he would put Fletcher in contact with Business Administrator Terence Wall.
Clayton said his company recently revamped a skate park in Brick Township.
“It seems like the conversation is starting about making an effort to add some improvements. With skateboarding just added to the 2020 Summer Olympics docket, it is definitely something that is going to be ramping up, no pun intended, as far as public recreation and international competition,” Clayton said.
Resident Kelsey Arcoleo said he has been an avid skateboarder for most his life and wanted to share his story. He said he met a friend in second grade who introduced him to skateboarding.
“I expressed that I wanted to pick it up because of how fun it looked. I did not have my own board so I always used his. This made us closer friends and soon we were hanging out all the time. I saw this was creating a brotherhood. However, to the outside, it still felt like I was a bit (of an) outcast,” Arcoleo said.
One night during a sleepover, Arcoleo had a health scare and broke out in hives and a fever. He was hospitalized for two weeks.
“It was quite the hell for an 11-year-old. My fourth grade class at the time actually saved up money to get me my first skateboard,” he said.
As he left the hospital, his mother told him she had a surprise for him in the trunk of the car.
“It was a skateboard, so it was at that point I learned that society outside of skateboarding could actually see how good it was for people and I felt like I owed myself to skating at that point. So to this day I have been an advocate of it.
“The story of my origins in skating was to provide context on how you really never know what life will throw at you, but there are a lot of things you can do to help move onward,” Arcoleo told the council members.
He said he wanted to show that getting a new skateboard after what he went through felt symbolic.
“I have met a lot of people through (skateboarding). I see potential in all of them displayed so clearly as they progress in their riding, as I know anyone who does not quit skateboarding is on a mission to get better and it takes an incredible amount of patience, determination and will power. That strong mindset developed in skating can bleed into other areas of life,” Arcoleo said.
Arcoleo spoke about a friend who tried to skateboard before dying from a heroin overdose.
“Although his story does not have a happy ending, I want to bring home the point that everyone, especially the kids of our city, should have the proper means to relieve their stress, to work on themselves and stay out of trouble.
“We need to have the (skate park) to be easily accessible and available to everybody, as well as up-to-date. We know this is a reality for many things such as baseball, football, soccer, hockey and basketball, and I want to make sure my stories shed light on the importance of skateboarding to our youth as well as adults,” Arcoleo said.
Kern said he was honored to provide the opportunity for the community and added that this topic is very important to him.
Sauickie said his oldest child is into skateboarding and acknowledged she skateboards for a lot of the reasons Arcoleo mentioned.
Nixon encouraged the skateboarders to look out for young children and to make sure they feel like a part of the community.
