Alpine City Council members voted Wednesday to remove a skate park feature from plans for the 100 South park.

After hearing much public outcry over the park, the council convened a special meeting and public hearing on Wednesday. The vast majority of those in attendance were opposed to the skate park, splash pad and number of parking stalls included in park plans. The meeting left them at least partially happy.

"I favor a passive park," resident Chrystal Eaton said. "I would much rather see a park with open areas with tables."

More than 20 residents spoke at the hearing. The consensus was that skateboarders will bring drugs, vandalism and gangs into Alpine. Children would also stop attending church and disagree with parents, Ellen Hall said.

"I would rather have kids in a skate park than have them on the roads," Liviu Gheciu said.

A motion by Councilman Kent Hastings to eliminate the skate features and racquetball court from the park passed. Several youth from the city, who have diligently attended meetings asking for a place to ride their skateboards legally, left soon after the motion.

As discussion moved to the splash pad, Mayor Hunt Willoughby said that he liked the feature as it was currently designed.

Opponents to the pad during the public hearing cited fiscal responsibility and sexual predators as reasons to remove it.

Hastings then made a motion to remove the splash pad but install plumbing for a splash pad in the future. The motion was seconded by Kimberly Bryant, who stated cost as her reason for opposing the feature. The motion failed, with Hastings and Bryant voting yes and Jim Tracy, Thomas Whitchurch and Tracy Wallace voting no.

"I am excited about the splash pad," June Gheciu said. "I could walk here every day with my children."

Other motions that passed on the night were to not light the tennis courts, but run conduit to them in case lighting was desired in the future.

To wrap up the three-hour special meeting, Whitchurch made a motion to accept the park plan with the amendments from the night. Tracy seconded the motion. Wallace, Whitchurch and Tracy voted yes and Bryant and Hastings voted no. The motion passed.

Following the last motion, City Administrator Ted Stillman mentioned that the city was looking at ways to slow traffic on 600 East by posting a stop sign. The city had also looked at speed bumps but no decision has yet been made.

Meeting minutes and future meeting times can be found at www.alpinecity.org.

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