Editor’s Note: Originally posted on February 27. Updated at 5:05 p.m. on March 1 with statement from City of Framingham
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FRAMINGHAM – On September 25, the City of Framingham erected a chain link fence around the skate park on Dudley Road.
The cost was $337.34 per month plus a one-time transportation and setup fee of $1,400, according to Framingham Parks & Recreation Director James Snyder.
This week, the fence has begun to be taken down.
UPDATE: On, Monday, March 1 City issued this statement – “City Reopens Skate Park as COVID-19 Cases Diminish: City reopens skate park on Dudley Road as numbers of COVID-19 cases decrease. Skaters asked to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, and not clear the ice and snow, as it will damage the skating surface.”
The cost for five months of rental is $1686.70 plus $1,400 to set up for a total of $3086.70.
The fence is not completely down yet, as of February 27. And it is unknown if there is a fee to take down the fence too.
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Former Framingham Health Director Sam Wong , who resigned in December, said in August 2020, “we recommended Parks & Rec to consider further restrictions/closure of areas that attracts crowds with difficulty to enforce state reopening guidance. There are two areas that fits that description – the basketball courts and the skate park
“We received complaints (via calls) about the basketball courts with groups of people (as players and spectators) with no social distancing and face masks. We also received similar complaints about the skate park,” said Wong in August 2020. “Our goal is to limit the opportunity that attracts a crowd with no social distancing and face masks. The state has categorized basketball as a high risk activity.”
The Spicer administration has said for months, that the skate park was an issue as unorganized groups of kids hang out there compared to organized sports, where adults can monitor their activities.
The Spicer administration has said that unorganized sports aspect can lead to the spread of the coronavirus during the pandemic. It is the same reason the City of Framingham removed all the basketball nets.
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Photo by District 5 resident Cheryl Gordon who has been advocating for the skate park to re-open
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