Shining “Lights” On the skate park

   There have been several people walking around the school with their skateboards or coming to school on bikes. I, for example, have two longboards that ride around town, ride home, and even ride to Ian  Deutch Park, and I have friends who come from the Pahrump Valley High School, middle school, and older that go to the skate park. Most of the time at the skate park, I have overheard the same thing, about how dark it gets when it’s at daylight savings time, and when people want to ride around at night when it’s cold, but can’t see anything.

   According to the word on the street, people at the skate park have been asking for the town to install lights, or anything to improve the skate park, for about 10 years. I was somewhat curious about the wait on the lights at the skate park.

   I have been at the skate park for about a year, and my time there has been relaxing from school, and from everything. My friends at the skate park say they go there to “Get away from reality.”

   I have seen police coming near the park, and sometimes they come because of people in the skate park. The skate park is not a safe place, and chances are, having the lights installed could help make it feel better.

   Lights at the skate park should illuminate at around 6 to 7 PM, and shut off at around 10-11 PM. They could easily help people that walk and allow skaters to ride when it’s nice and cold. It could possibly help save lives.

   On September 16, 2016, when it was dark, a woman was hit and killed by a reckless drunk driver out in the dark, just right on the road in front of the park. What exactly could’ve happened to help? If the lights were on a timer system, it could help people see better so they won’t fall and get hurt, or see where they are going to the skate park.

   To my knowledge, there has not been any legitimate reason for the lack of lights, besides the point that the is on a money crunch. If the fear of installing them is based on any criminal acts, then perhaps having the lights at the skate park can help spot and make it harder.

   A few months back, a group of kids came to the skate park and began to tag the skate park, forcing people to paint over it. If lights were on at that later time, it possibly would’ve helped stop the kids or make them not tag the skate park.

   Nye County Commissioner, Leo Blundo, gave his thoughts about the lights, saying, “Go to one of the council meetings and talk to the council to lodge or complaints.”

   The place he is talking about is the Pahrump Town Office, the building behind the fire department, and the place that does chili cooking off. Yummy! They have a council meeting, and you can go to the Nye County Nevada website. I believe that if we want to help protect our kids, maybe we should try and push our way to have the lights installed. I hope maybe this will give reassurances or answers to a lot of questions.