Skateboarding banned

A learning institution by day, Weber State University turns into a skate park by night, or so some think.

After spending millions of dollars on construction and renovation on campus, Ric Wade with WSU facilities management said thousands of dollars worth of damage is done to the stairs and rails, mostly after class hours.

"It's skateboarders." Wade said. "No question about it."

They are not WSU students. Wade said the skateboarders are generally in high school and they come to campus at night.

"You can see damage where they slide down the handrails," Wade said. He said there are chips out of the nosing of the stairs and grooves and scratches on the handrails.

"We have given several citations in the past year," said WSU police chief Dane LeBlanc. According to WSU campus policy, "the use of rollerskates, skateboards, bicycles on campus sidewalks is prohibited."

LeBlanc said people could also be cited for damage done to campus. Consequences for using "human powered vehicles" are withholding students' transcripts, degrees and/or certificates, grades or permission to register. Students could be fined and/or dismissed from school, according to the campus policy.

LeBlanc said the consequences are clear for students caught violating the rules, but the non-students who are caught can expect a penalty.

Under the traffic code, "a person may not operate a bicycle or a vehicle or device propelled by human power on a sidewalk, path, trail, across a roadway in a crosswalk where prohibited by a traffic-control device or ordinance."

"It's a $50 ticket," LeBlanc said.

People may not operate these "human powered" vehicles in a negligent manner so as to collide with pedestrians.

LeBlanc said the WSU campus police will start confiscating skateboards. He said they will give a warning, then a citation and then take away the skateboard.

The law applies to all campus sidewalks including the area surrounding the Dee Events Center and University Village.

LeBlanc also said they are working on making signs that would prohibit the use of skateboards.

Wade said he is all for putting up signs. He said the bottom line is enforcement.

"But you can have all the signage you want," Wade said. "It doesn't deter anyone unless it's enforced. We don't need signs on campus that say vandalism is not allowed."

Peterson Plaza, on the north side of Building 4, cost about $1 million; it has become a favorite spot for skateboarders Wade said, and it shows.

Stairs crack, Wade said, but if it is chipped, that means something has hit it. Sometimes kids roll garbage cans down the stairs too, Wade said. Either way, the chips in stairs become a tripping hazard.

Patching up the chips in the concrete lasts about two or three years according to Wade and then the patch pops off. The only permanent fix is to replace them. The new stairs in Peterson Plaza cost about $100,000.

Wade said he was worried about the new Bell Tower area when it is done.

"All we're doing is building Ogden's new skateboard park," Wade said. "I'm not anti-skateboarder. I'm anti-skateboarder damage."