Kids: No place to play

By sandi carpello
Staff Writer

By sandi carpello
Staff Writer


FARRAH MAFFAI Brent Evans, 14, jumps over a skateboard on a Helmetta street Monday.FARRAH MAFFAI Brent Evans, 14, jumps over a skateboard on a Helmetta street Monday.

HELMETTA — A group of borough youths say they are frustrated with the lack of space for athletics and skateboarding in the borough, and have asked officials to provide them with some type of recreation area.

During the public portion of the Sept. 25 Borough Council meeting, Brent Evans, 14, of Park Avenue, Willy Nemeth, 11, and Tommy Zyhajlo, 14, both of Avenue A, approached the mayor and council requesting that park space be secured.

The three skateboard enthusiasts said they are continually asked to leave whatever area in which they choose to play.

Dorothy Fisko, a borough resident and guardian to Evans, said she urged the boys to approach the council with their quandary.

"These kids have nothing," she said. "You have to make noise or you won’t get anything."

Taking Fisko’s advice, the boys told the council that they often skateboard and play ball on Avenue A. They noted that their neighbor, Mayor Frank Hague, has even told them to get off his property.

Hague acknowledged this, but said there were about a dozen kids playing football on his front lawn.

The boys said they used to skateboard in the parking lot of a business on Old Forge Road, but that they were asked to leave that property as well.

Andrew Tidd of Old Forge Road said that years ago there was a baseball field on Sutton Place, but a development has since been built on the property.

He said that when he was growing up in the borough, teenagers used the Club Hall on Club Drive for recreation, but that building became dilapidated and was torn down years ago.

Borough youths need recreation to stay out of trouble, Tidd said.

The borough is in the process of acquiring land from the county adjacent to the Helmetta Pond, where officials plan to use recreation grant money to build a gazebo and park benches, but the land cannot be used for active recreation.

Hague said later that, in addition to a pocket park built last year and the Helmetta Pond park now in the works, he is hoping to acquire land later this year for a possible skate park and ball field. He did not indicate where in the borough it would be located.

The mayor also noted the close proximity of county parks to Helmetta residents, including Thompson Park in Jamesburg.

In response to the boys’ request, Councilman Edward Romano said he would like to schedule a meeting with them and discuss possibilities for recreation.

Fisko said the boys often play on the property of the old Helme snuff mill.

"They play factory ball," she said.

The boys expressed frustration with their dilemma and said they were determined to find a place for recreation.

However, some residents said they doubt they will see active recreation areas anytime soon.

"This town has nothing for kids," said long-time borough resident Gary Diminicus. "This town has never had recreation and it never will."