Eager trespassers causing trouble at unbuilt Prince George skate park
City workers say kids and teens are putting themselves in danger using the park while it's under construction
City staff say while they understand the excitement, they hope people will wait before using a skate park under construction in Prince George.
Project manager Michael Le Morvan he's had reports of up to a hundred children and teenagers at a time eager to use the park being built in the Hart neighbourhood of Prince George.
"We have security that come here and ask them to leave, we have RCMP come here, ask them to leave, we have city staff come here and ask them to leave," he said.
"It's like trying to hold water."
He said while most of the people are respectful, a small percentage are causing trouble for his workers.
"That handful has been harassing our staff," he said. "They have been mouthy... calling them slackers, you name it, they have been really, really rude."
Excitement understandable, but dangerous
The park is being built in the Hart, a neighbourhood in the north end of Prince George that's separated from the city core by a stretch of roughly 12 kilometres of highway.
The city committed to building the park during neighbourhood meeting last year when community members told them they were in desperate need of more recreational facilities.
Le Morvan believes that's what's driving the interest in the active construction site.
"It's exciting, it's great to see that. They're pumped, they want to use it, I understand, they want to use it right now, but there is a moment, a time for everything."
He said his biggest concern are the people breaking through the fence in order to use the park before it's complete.
"There's pipes,they could impale themselves," he warned.
"Or they can just fall in the holes or trip and hurt themselves... we don't want that."
He said he's even heard parents encouraging their kids to hop the fence to try out the park, despite the warning signs and active machinery.
He's asking the public to stay away until the grand opening, scheduled for September 24.
"One o'clock, kids — you can come, enjoy it — but just wait until that point."
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