Officials reopen Corbin Skatepark

The Corbin Skateboard Park, closed for nearly two weeks because of problems with graffiti in the area, reopened over the weekend after officials say they are closing in on those they believe are responsible for the crime.

According to Corbin Recreation Director Marlon Sams, the park, which had been under lock and key since March 2 is now open for use again. City officials decided to take the extraordinary step of closing the park in response to a spate of graffiti that appeared on the back wall of a dugout at nearby Rotary Park and on the back of the Princess Vermillion McBurney Recreation Center in late February. They hoped that closure of the park would encourage those with information to come forward and reveal who is responsible for the graffiti.

The Corbin Skateboard Park, under lock and key for nearly two weeks due to recent vandalism, is back open officials say.

Sams said the measure had its desired effect.

“I think it was effective,” he said Tuesday. “It kind of makes everyone else aware of what is going on and encourages people to take care of what we got.”

Corbin Police Officer David Maiden, who is investigating the graffiti, said authorities have been given the names of three individuals likely involved in the incident, but that no charges have been filed against them. He said the individuals are adults and juveniles that live near the park.

“They have denied everything,” Maiden said. “We don’t have any evidence linking them to it. It’s all just hearsay right now. We are hoping that talking to them and them knowing that their name has been thrown up to us will keep them from doing it for a while. We just don’t have enough to charge anybody right now.”
Maiden said the graffiti at Rotary Park was probably scrawled by different people than that found on the recreation center. The two cases are being investigated separately.

“It’s real hard to say if it is linked. It wasn’t the same artwork,” Maiden said.

Those responsible for the graffiti could be charged with criminal mischief – a crime that is either a misdemeanor or felony offense, depending on how much damage is done.

Sams said there haven’t been any problems with graffiti or other vandalism in the past two weeks.
“They were begging and pleading with me to open the park back up,” Sams said. “I think the message is out there now. We haven’t had any problems whatsoever. It has actually been very quiet.”

Sams added that city officials plan to increase security in the area through extra police patrols and the additional use of surveillance cameras.