Business owners say skateboarders, bicyclists pose danger

By Larry Coonrod, Lebanon Express writer

Skateboarders and bicyclists riding on sidewalks in Lebanon's downtown area are endangering customers and hurting business, and the Lebanon Police Department is not doing a good job of enforcing a law against riding on the sidewalk, many business owners say.

"We're losing business because of the skateboarders. Older people won't walk down here if they see skateboarders on the sidewalks because they're afraid of getting injured," said David Carpenter, of Jan's Books and David's Corner on Sherman Street.

Mary Gentle, owner of Good Hair Day, also on Sherman Street, said the problem seems to get worse when kids are out of school. Gentle said she is concerned for her customers, many of whom are elderly.

Mark Bilodeau, co-owner of Hidden Treasures on Main Street, said his biggest concern is bicyclists who use the downtown sidewalks.

"They come by here so fast, elderly customers can't get out of the way," he said.

Matt Kerby, manager of Straight Shooters Sporting Goods on Main Street, agrees bicycles are a bigger danger on the sidewalks than skateboarders are.

"I've almost been run over twice by bicycles. I'm concerned about customers getting hit," Kerby said.

A city ordinance prohibits riding skateboards and bicycles on the sidewalk on Main Street between Vine and Rose streets. Sidewalk riding is also prohibited on the following streets:

€ The north side of Vine Street from Park Street to Second Street.

€ The west side of Second Street from Vine Street to Oak Street

€ The south side of Oak Street from Second Street to main.

€ The west side of Main Street from Oak Street to A Street.

€ The east side of Main Street from A Street to Oak Street.

€ The south side of Oak Street from Main Street to Park Street.

€ The east side of Park Street from Oak Street to Vine.

Dala Johnson, community services coordinator for the Lebanon Police Department, said the department takes businesses' concerns about bicycles and skateboards seriously, but has limited resources to enforce the ordinance. Typically, there are only three officers on duty to cover the entire city during the late afternoon and early evening hours when business owners say the skateboarders are the biggest problem, she said.

If skateboarders or bicyclists are observed on the sidewalk, the sooner it is reported to the police department the better, Johnson said.

"They (skateboarders and bicyclists) can cover a lot of ground in a hurry, so our officers have a hard time locating them if people wait to call and report them."

In 2007, the Lebanon Police Department issued one citation for riding on the sidewalk. As of July 16, one citation had been issued in 2008 for violating the ordinance.

Gentle said when she called the police department to ask what could be done about people riding on the sidewalks, she was told by the dispatcher to, "Ask them if they can read," an apparent reference to the "Walk Your Bikes & Skateboards" painted on sidewalk corners.

"The police have never done an adequate job. They never enforce the law," said Rob Gibbs, owner of Best Rest Sleep Sofa on Sherman Street. "They should confiscate skateboards when they catch people riding on the sidewalk."

Last Wednesday, Michael Potts, 39, was riding his bike on the sidewalk between Sherman and Grant streets.

"Where else are we going to ride for our own safety?" he asked.

Potts was riding slowly to keep pace with his friend David Holder, 29, who was walking his bike while balancing a large cardboard box on the seat. Normally they travel at a faster clip Potts said, but insisted they watch out for pedestrians.

There are no bike paths in the downtown area. Potts and Helder said motorists do not pay attention to bikers,

making it dangerous to ride in the street.

Daniel Franzwa, 18, said he was recently warned but not cited by a Lebanon police officer for riding on Second Street. Franzwa said he was unaware that a citation for riding on the sidewalk comes with a $97 fine.

"The law is kind of confusing, you can ride on the sidewalk on one side of Second Street but not the other," Franzwa said. "I think some of the other streets are the same way.

Hidden Treasure's Bilodeau said he thought the skateboarding problem was getting better for a while through the efforts of Kimberly Clarke, the former owner of Gamerz Cyber Café on Main Street, which closed in June. Clarke, who moved to Arizona after Gamerz closed, was active in the effort to bring a skate park to Lebanon. She counseled the kids that if they wanted the support of the business community in getting a skate park, they needed to follow the rules, he said.

"Most kids are really polite and walk their board when you say something to them," Bilodeau said. "Of course, they pop right back on them in the next block."

Business owners, including Jack Knudsen, owner of Diverse Things on Main Street, said 75 percent of the skateboarders are cooperative, but a small group of young teens can get belligerent when challenged.

"I get some real nasty language when I remind them of the sidewalk law," Knudsen said.

Carpenter, of Jan's Books, blames vandalism to flower boxes in front of the store on skateboarders after he and his mother asked them to stop riding their boards on the sidewalk.

The solution is a skate park, many downtown business owners said. Land for a skate park has been made available next to the new justice center at Second and Tangent Streets. A local group is trying to raise funds to build one.

"Every city around has a skateboard park except Lebanon, said Sara Martinez, owner of Rock The Cafe on Main Street. "I hold the city responsible for the problem. They've been negligent in providing a place for the kids to skateboard."

Knudsen, of Diverse Things, agreed that a skate park would give young people a safe place to ride, but could increase the problem of people riding on the sidewalk.

"It won't do any good if they don't enforce the sidewalk law, Knudsen said."They'll all be riding their skateboards through town to get to the skate park."