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Posted
Oct. 11, 2002
| The
3 'Ws' Must be Answered |
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To the editor:
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| The diversity of outdoor recreational opportunities we have
in Reston is part of what many of us find so compelling about
our community. Adding a skateboard park to that mix may be
worth considering, but the proposal's answers to the three
"Ws" leave us worried: Who (is paying the tab), Why (so much),
and Where (should it be located). |
| Under the current proposal, District 5 taxpayers alone pay
the bill. That doesn't make sense given the current plan admits
that 80 percent of likely users will come from 3 to 10 miles
away, well outside District 5. |
| The cost of the project ($800,000 initial capital expense
and future operational expenses) is not proportional to the
demand. |
| As for the where, the proposed YMCA location admittedly
has intuitive appeal (proximity to the Y and the W&OD Trail),
but it is one of the most costly sites to develop due to Dominion
Power easements and the parking shortage at the Y. |
| Lake Fairfax Park, for example, would cost taxpayers 25
percent less to develop according to the RCC study. And, tellingly,
no other skate park in Virginia abuts a residential neighborhood;
indeed, no comparable location has been found nationally. |
| A properly sited park that is fair to the taxpayer may have
some appeal, but the current proposal doesn't get us there.
We will be urging the RCC at its Oct. 14 hearing to delay
this process until we can all better answer the three Ws. |
| Robert Goudie |
| West Market Skateboard Park Committee |
| Reston |
Copyright © 2003 The Herndon Publishing
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