Skateboarding Passé in the SJC?

Skateboarding is not a crime. But apparently, it’s not that popular in San Juan Capistrano, either.

The city is competing for a grant that would give it funding to build a small but “viable” skate park, said Cynthia Alexander, community services manager. The city should hear back sometime in spring.

But for the grant request to be successful, it needs the support of the residents – especially the youth – and so far, he’s just not seeing it, said Gerry Muir, who sits on the city’s Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Commission as well as being the adviser to the Youth Advisory Board.

“We’ve received a dismal, dismal response,” he said. “The community response is almost zilch.”

– Gerry Muir

Muir urged the teen members of the Youth Advisory Committee a couple of weeks ago to ask around their friends and fellow students at school to write letters of support for the skate park, which would be built not far from the . 

He’s received about 18.

“The chances of us getting it, if it goes to the city with the most support, there just isn’t any,” he said.

Alexander said the grant is available through Prop. 84 monies, approved by the voters in 2006. When she first announced the proposal, she did receive 56 letters of support.

Currently, the closest skate parks are in  and .  even offers at its local facility.

Recreation Coordinator Gil Leon said the city has already lost in a previous bid for a grant. He thinks the current proposal is better because it doesn’t plan to make any changes to the Community Gardens.

But the tweaks to the proposal may be for naught, Muir said.

“Right now, there’s no community support," he said. "It’s sad.”