More Summit Slope Park Drama: Skateboarding Might Soon Be a Crime

Seattle Center Skateboarding by hobbes8calvin from the Seattlest Flickr pool. This guy is skating at Seattle Center, which is not a crime.

Summit Park Slope has had its share of drama. Originally called Perugia Park in honor of Seattle's sister city, the name had to be changed when Perugia sent Seattle sister Amanda Knox to prison for the infamous was-alleged-is-now-convicted murder of her roommate. It got renamed the innocuous 'Summit Park Slope' but the kerfuffles continue.

This time, the issue at hand is the skatedot installed in the park to provide a safe and legal spot for Capitol Hill skateboarders to do their grinds. A skatedot is a ledge for skating and provides an outlet for the urban sport withut having to build and entire skate park. The Summit Park Slope skatedot is the first of its kind to be completed by the City.

Area neighbors, outraged at the extra noise and possibility of a skateboard to pedestrian crash, are flexing their NIMBY might. They are asking the city to remove the feature. A public hering on the issue hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department is scheduled for May 12 at 7 p.m. at park headquarters at 100 Dexter Ave. N.

If you can't make it to the meeting you can submit a testimonial . At its May 26 meeting, the Board of Park Commission will further discuss the issue and vote on what they’d like to be done.