PORT TOWNSEND — With the new Port Townsend Skate Park set to open Saturday, the City Council chose to delay enforcement of a skater’s helmet law, which spares the police department a potential enforcement headache.
The council voted unanimously late Monday night to make the skate park helmet law concurrent with the mandatory bicycle helmet ordinance, which goes into effect in June 2007.
In a split vote, the council approved the helmet law in December but delayed its effective date to allow police to educate cyclists about the need for helmets.
Anticipating an enthusiastic crowd of skaters at the skate park this weekend, the city’s top lawman urged that skate park helmet enforcement be delayed.
“It would almost require that we have someone down there at all times to enforce the requirement,” said Police Chief Conner Daily, adding that he did not want his first contact with skating youths to be enforcing a helmet law.
“I highly recommend that people would use safety equipment, but it would be very difficult to enforce that.”
Daily said that he did not want to spoil the youthful enthusiasm generated by the $350,000 concrete work of art at the corner of Monroe and Jefferson streets.
City immune from liability
City Attorney John Watts said that the city’s liability with the skate park is protected under the state Recreational Immunity Act.
