A dozen young men banded together Monday to ask a Slatington committee to allow them to construct a removable skateboard/bike park at the Walnut Street Playground.

Northern Lehigh Community Center President Paul Gass said he came to Slatington's Finance/Planning/Zoning, Public Safety, and Human/Community Services Committee meeting to support the young men, noting they had previously attended a community center meeting to ask about the park.Gass said that, due to funding issues, the center was not able to assist them but thought perhaps the borough could instead. He noted a private grant through the Tony Hawk Foundation may be available to start the park."We certainly would be happy to look into it and try to help them in any way we possibly can," said Vice President Gwyneth Neff, noting that the idea had been looked into years ago, even so far as liability insurance is concerned, but somehow "fell by the wayside.""It was our intention to put (the park) on our property," Gass said, "but because the center is not completed and the property is unmanaged so far … if there is something available within the borough, it would probably be wiser to use that property."When the young men's spokesman, Tyler Peters, stood up, he said, "We're not asking for money. We just want a spot where we can build and ride at our own risk because right now, wherever we go, we're always getting kicked out … (We just want) a place where we can ride without getting in trouble."Peters said the park riding equipment would be movable and probably only take up half the playground.The committee, which overall seemed in favor of the park, noted council would need to look into liability insurance and also said the playground association itself would have the final say-so.Human/Community Services Chairman David Schnaars then also recommended that perhaps one of the young men over 18, or one of the other boys' parents, might want to consider becoming a Parks and Recreation Commission member. He noted that two seats were available.Earlier in the meeting, Schnaars had suggested a moment of silence in honor of former Parks and Recreation Commission Member William "Bill" Stein, who he said was "a great guy" who "we're going to miss sorely."Stein, who passed away suddenly on Saturday, had held many other volunteer positions within the borough as well.When Schnaars mentioned the commission, Thomas Harlan, 18, expressed interest in it. He later added that the park could offer both resident and nonresident riders alike a place to be safe and have fun while also bringing money into the community.