A Bay Village resident who stood up for skateboarding.
On Wednesday Feb. 3rd I attended a public meeting for the Bay Village Skatepark project. This skatepark project has been an ongoing debacle as the residents of Bay Village are not able to agree on a site for the park nor even if they want to have a skatepark in their community at all.
I have attended many Bay Village council meetings and Public Square Group has held events in support of the project (eS Game of Skate 2006) but far and away this project has been stalled by the lack of community and council support. But thanks to Lawrence Kuh and the Bay Skate and Bike Park Foundation - the community is being engaged and they are learning what a skatepark would actually mean for their city.
But last night’s meeting had many attendees who supported “a” skatepark but not near their back yard. They live next to the current proposed location of Bradley Park and had many concerns about noise, more traffic and overcrowding of the already very busy Bradley Park. They took turns asking questions and voicing their opposition to the park period.
Then one man stood up and made an impassioned plea for the skatepark. (Listen to full audio of his speech) He was a resident who lived directly next to Bradley Park and explained how living next to popular park brings many challenges but that it was a part the fiber of the community and that parks are to be used.
“The loudest sounds I hear are from parents cheering and yelling at their kids in soccer and baseball games. Then the next loudest are the coaches yelling at the kids and the parents yelling at refs and coaches”.
He also explained that he has found many things like frisbees, golf balls and baseballs in his back yard - all by-products of living next to a public park.
With 3 pages of prepared notes he explained in amazement the detractors’ descriptions of skaters as if they have never known kids, had kids of their own or were never kids themselves. As a member of the Kiwanis he voiced full support of the project from himself and on behalf of the Kiwanis Club.
For his final statement he pointed to the overhead photo of the park and highlighted his house on the map….
“You can put that skatepark right in my back yard.”
He then took his seat and before the next speaker could start, the man slumped over with an apparent cardiac arrest. Several residents (health care professionals) of Bay Village sprang into action and began CPR and tried to revive him. EMS was there in minutes and took over. In the end he was not able to be resuscitated.
Randy Stang is a man I have never met or known of until this week. His eloquent and rational support for the kids and skaters of Bay Village was inspiring. He seemed to have no tie to the project other than wanting to see his city meet the needs of the residents.
He is survived by his wife and children and I can only imagine what they must be dealing with but I felt it was important to share this story as I witnessed it. He was obviously a caring and considerate member of the community and his loss must be devastating.
I will update this page as we know more.
Vince Frantz
Update
The wake will be from 4:00-8:00 on Monday at Sunset Memorial Park on Columbia Road in North Olmsted and the funeral service will be on Tuesday at 11:00am.
Update
The Plain Dealer is doing a story on this and audio of Mr. Strang will be on the Plain Dealer website.
Update
The cause of death has not been released. Mr. Stang’s obituary notice.
Update
Plain Dealer article with full audio of Randy Stang’s last speech supporting the skatepark. Hear him talk about living next to the public park and why the skatepark should be supported.