Modesto adds two more sites as potential homes for outdoor roller skating rink
Modesto will look at two more sites as the potential home for an outdoor roller skating rink — the Tuolumne River Regional Park’s gateway parcel near downtown and the proposed Sutton Park, which the city expects to build one day near Johansen High School.
The city has considered placing the rink at East La Loma Park, a much faster and much cheaper option than the other two sites. But the city has faced opposition from some of the residents of the nearby Oakridge townhouses.
These residents have complained about the music played by roller skaters. They also say the regional park already is crowded and does not have the parking for another amenity.
The city has not yet started its review of the two new sites.
Modesto Parks Planning and Development Manager Nathan Houx said he could not say when city officials would have a proposal to bring to the City Council but said it would not happen this year. The City Council would have to approve the roller skating rink.
Houx said the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department has limited staffing and is focused now on getting bids out for time-sensitive, grant-funded projects. They include the senior playground at Ralston Park and extending the Virginia Corridor an additional three-quarters of a mile from where it ends at Woodrow Avenue.
City officials initially expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of an outdoor roller skating rink at East La Loma Park. But they now say they have time to do a more complete evaluation because the city has found a temporary home for the roller skaters.
The skaters had been using East La Loma Park on Sunday afternoons, but the city worked with them on using two of the city’s tennis courts at Johansen High.
The city unlocks the gates to the tennis courts Sunday afternoons, and the skaters have been there for about a couple of months.
“We still think a skating rink is a great idea,” Deputy City Manager Caluha Barnes said. “We want to make sure we evaluate the options and get it in the right place the first time.”
Brian Cromwell, who started the Facebook group Modesto Skates about a year ago, organizes the Sunday skating events. He said the events at the tennis courts draw 60 to 70 skaters, about the same number that turned out at East La Loma. Modesto Skates has grown to about 3,400 members.
He said while the tennis courts lack the shade, bathrooms and other features of East La Loma Park, the roller skaters have made their temporary home work. For instance, he said, they bring water to drink and canopies for shade.
Cromwell said he and other members of his Facebook group want to work with the city to bring an outdoor rink to Modesto.
“I’m just going to go with the flow,” he said. “I cannot speed up the process. My preference is East La Loma. ... We are still working with the city on making a roller rink a reality.”
