Skateboarders and inline skaters are allowed to use the skating facilities at City Park daily until 10 p.m.
Both the skatepark and inline skating rink have lights that users can turn on after sunset and automatically shut off at 10 p.m.
The rest of City Park closes at sunset – including the nearby Stone Shelterhouse, which has been the site of multiple graffiti incidents in recent weeks.
A sign near the park entrance defines the park hours.
Anyone elsewhere in the park will be asked to leave if police see them in the park after dark. The closing time at City Park has been in place for years, but has only become an issue lately when police were asked to patrol the park more often after several incidents of vandalism were committed in the park.
“We asked them to step up patrols, which we appreciate,” said Kristin Otley, Bowling Green Parks and Recreation director.
Police blotters from recent weeks show people being asked to leave the park after dark.
“We’re driving through more often,” so more people are being asked to leave, said Police Lt. Adam Skaff. People are not being cited, but just asked to leave the park.
Otley said she realizes the importance of the skateboard park and inline skating rink for local youths.
“The kids worked really hard to put that in,” she said, adding that she would like youths to be able to use the skating facilities into the evenings.
Plans have been made to install new surveillance cameras in City Park, but supply chain issues have delayed the installation, Otley said. Signage will also be changed to make it clear that the skatepark and rink can be used until 10 p.m.
In addition to vandalism in the restroom which sits between the skatepark and inline rink, the park has also been the site of multiple incidents of graffiti at the skatepark and in the shelter houses. Included in the graffiti were pictures of a swastika and a penis. Efforts are made to quickly remove the graffiti since the park is used by the public.
