Neighbors say West Sacramento's only skate park is dangerous, want rapid repairs for failing equipment
WEST SACRAMENTO -- Rotting wood, uneven ramps, loose screws, and downright dangerous—that's how some West Sacramento neighbors describe the city's only skate park.
"This rail here, it's super rattley," said neighbor Adrian Pinon, showing CBS13 the disrepair at the park. "It's not very safe. Don't recommend it. Don't recommend riding this at all."
Pinon lives right down the road from the skate park at Westacre Park, but he doesn't visit regularly even though he has a passion for BMX bike riding.
"I wish I came here more often. It's just a little too unsafe for me," he said.
He described the amenities as being broken, cracked and just falling apart.
"If your wheel gets caught in that in a skateboard, you're gone," Pinon said.
Pinon submitted a complaint to the City of West Sacramento this week calling for something to be done about the unsafe equipment, fearing someone would get seriously hurt.
"We want to see people land in extreme sports, not fall and get injured because of the park they are riding," Pinon said.
I asked the city of West Sacramento what was being done about the park's problems.
"The City is aware of the current challenges at the skate park and continues to do its best balancing the park demands and ongoing maintenance," a city spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.
The city pointed to a solution coming soon that has been in the works for more than two years.
The Westacre Park Expansion and Renovation Project has been in the planning stage for about two years, fully funded by nearly $8 million.
"The Westacre Park renovation is funded through Proposition 68 and will include a fully renovated skate park, among other amenities such as a spray park, play structure and pickleball courts for the community to enjoy," the city's statement said.
The city added that construction across Westacre Park should start in November 2024 and finish in August 2025.
Pinon wants immediate action.
"We residents want something now, want something sooner," he said.
After CBS13 contacted the city Thursday about these concerns, our crews saw city employees on site the same day checking out what had fallen into disrepair.
"I definitely don't want the skate park closed, but it's getting to a point where we might need to shut it down," Pinon said.