A DIY skate park in Panther Hollow has got Oakland talking. Some neighbors say it doesn’t belong in their quiet streets.
Tony Russo, who’s lived here his whole life, isn’t feeling it. “It’s outrageously illegal. That noise is everywhere,” he said.
He claimed that it used to be calm. Now it’s boards hitting all day.
The skate park was built by local teens on an empty lot. They say it gives them somewhere to skate without getting in trouble. “There’s nowhere else to go. We just needed a spot,” said Jordan, 16.
Councilmember Barb Warwick sees both sides. “Kids made something out of nothing, which is cool. But neighbors have a point about noise. We gotta figure it out,” she said.
She said in a statement to KDKA:
"Mr. Giampolo's family has a long history in Panther Hollow, so I understand why he was surprised to find a community skatepark in the abandoned parklet when he moved back in June. In fact, this is an incredible success story of young people taking the initiative to do something positive with unused public land. I'm glad our DPW Parks team was supportive and helpful, rather than just saying "No, you can't do that here." My hope is that we can all sit down together, so Mr. Giampolo can better understand what a wonderful asset this is for people of all ages who want to be active and get outdoors. And I love his idea of a Bacci court btw...it would be a great addition to the space."
At a recent meeting, about 40 people backed the skate park, and 20 spoke against it. Some neighbors want it moved indoors or replaced with something quieter.
For now, the ramps stay, and the debate isn’t dying down. Oakland’s streets are alive again, just not everyone’s feeling it.