In this year's budget, City of North Battleford Parks and Recreation Director Bill Samborski has allowed for one of the department's part time positions to be upgraded to a full time position.
Samborski told city council members Monday at a budget meeting the hope is to create a summer position for someone to be on site at the city's skate park.
He said there has been an issue with fighting at the skate park, as well as concern for the new tennis courts nearby and the Civic Centre, whose washrooms are used by the skateboarders.
"The straw that broke the camel's back was we hadn't even opened the tennis court and people were going over the fence," said Samborski.
He also said it could be a mechanism for improved communication with the boarders and cyclists who use the skate park.
"Those kids, sometimes they get a bad rap," said Samborski.
Having someone on site might help get a handle on the violence as well as protect the City's assets by getting to know the kids better.
A staff person could also engage more community resources. In the past, he said, Service Canada and Concern for Youth have staged special events there and they've been well received. However, Service Canada no longer has a summer office. Perhaps another agency could be found, and this would be part of the staff person's job.
Councillor Ryan Bater expressed concern that the City might be hiring someone only to be put in harm's way. Or, he said, the kids who are using the skate park might be scared off because they don't want an authority figure around.
Both were excellent points, said Samborski.
The person they would want working there would, of course, be 16 or older, he said, and should be a boarder.
However, he said, they wouldn't be hiring someone just for the sake of filling the position. It would have to be just the right person for the job.
"If we put the wrong type of person in it may do more damage than good," He said. "We really have to think about it."
