(Nov. 6, 2014) Beth Gourley wants a recreation center in Berlin – and she’s not the only one.
Gourley, owner of Go Organic Grocer, organized an impromptu rally at the end of the last mayor and council meeting when dozens of citizens of all ages showed up to petition for the center. The former Tyson plant on Old Ocean City Boulevard, long rumored as a potential site for just such a recreation facility, was clearly their target.
“I’m a mom. I have a 13-year-old and a 7-year-old. The 13-year-old skateboards and the 7-year-old loves to bike,” Gourley said. “In particular, everybody knows that the Tyson plant is there, and we feel like the town is capable purchasing it and doing something great with it. Berlin is growing and they do these great events that benefit the business owners and give the residents a time and a place to gather, but there’s nowhere for the older kids to go.”
Gourley turned her 1800-square foot garage into a makeshift indoor skate park for her son, but her neighbors often complain.
“It is noisy and they like do like to play music, but what would you rather they be doing?” she said.
Safety – not to mention the public nuisance – makes downtown Berlin virtually off limits for biking and skateboarding. Decatur Park is great for younger children, Gourley said, but teenagers are often an afterthought in Berlin.
“I had an officer tell my son and a group of kids, ‘You can’t skateboard here. Go to the park and do it,’” she said. “Where? In the parking lot? On the tennis court? It almost seemed like a joke.”
Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Snow Hill all have recreation centers. Berlin, the reigning Coolest Small Town in America, is still waiting in line.
Gourley took to Facebook last week, urging parents and friends to turn out to support the proposed recreation center. By the end of the council meeting, when Mayor Gee Williams asked for public comments, a sizeable standing-room-only crowd had amassed in the back of the room.
Gourley was the first to speak.
“I didn’t think I was going to get up there and say anything because I’m just the mom of a skateboarder,” she said. “Then I realized, shoot I’m the one that got everybody here. They’re all looking at me.
“I’m not going to be the ringleader, but it’s so important to me and to my kids,” Gourley continued. “I don’t mind calling people. Everybody wants to help. Now people are calling me asking, ‘What can we do?’ As far as I know, we just need to keep going to the meetings and to keep inquiring about it and hopefully they’ll see how important it is – to all of us.”
District 1 Councilmember Troy Purnell, who owns the Tyson facility, has stayed out of negotiations.
“I can’t comment on anything,” he said. “Obviously I’m not involved in any of the town’s discussions directly at all. Certainly, I think it’s a fantastic spot for it. I’m 100 percent in favor of it. I think it would be a good thing for the town to do, but as far as details go I am strictly forbidden.”
Purnell, who was out of town on vacation during the last meeting, said people ask him about the project on a daily basis.
“Everybody tells me, ‘What can I do to make it happen?’ I say, ‘basically, I have to rely on my partners to pull it all off,’” he said. “I know they’re discussing some stuff with the town, but exactly what it is I am certainly forbidden to discuss it.”
“I think it’s a great idea and I think it’s a great place,” Purnell continued. “Something needs to be done [for the skateboarders], that’s for sure. We need some type of park for them. If Ocean Pines can pull it off, Berlin can certainly pull it off. There’s money that’s available to do that kind of stuff, and that type of recreation is sorely needed.
Gourley said she has spoken to town officials since the meeting, and hopes to keep the idea alive in the court of public opinion. The Tyson plant, she said, is the perfect location.
“We want to emphasize the importance of the property because of what it has to offer,” she said. “There’s two diverse athletics there [biking and skateboarding] that could be put to use. There could be a pavilion to have live performances and to have community gatherings and public events.
“I feel like if we don’t start speaking and start organizing things are going to fizzle out,” Gourley continued.
“We want to keep up our presence at the meetings and to just keep on inquiring. We need to top America’s Coolest Small Town with America’s coolest rec. center at the old Tyson factory.”
Gourley, owner of Go Organic Grocer, organized an impromptu rally at the end of the last mayor and council meeting when dozens of citizens of all ages showed up to petition for the center. The former Tyson plant on Old Ocean City Boulevard, long rumored as a potential site for just such a recreation facility, was clearly their target.
“I’m a mom. I have a 13-year-old and a 7-year-old. The 13-year-old skateboards and the 7-year-old loves to bike,” Gourley said. “In particular, everybody knows that the Tyson plant is there, and we feel like the town is capable purchasing it and doing something great with it. Berlin is growing and they do these great events that benefit the business owners and give the residents a time and a place to gather, but there’s nowhere for the older kids to go.”
Gourley turned her 1800-square foot garage into a makeshift indoor skate park for her son, but her neighbors often complain.
“It is noisy and they like do like to play music, but what would you rather they be doing?” she said.
Safety – not to mention the public nuisance – makes downtown Berlin virtually off limits for biking and skateboarding. Decatur Park is great for younger children, Gourley said, but teenagers are often an afterthought in Berlin.
“I had an officer tell my son and a group of kids, ‘You can’t skateboard here. Go to the park and do it,’” she said. “Where? In the parking lot? On the tennis court? It almost seemed like a joke.”
Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Snow Hill all have recreation centers. Berlin, the reigning Coolest Small Town in America, is still waiting in line.
Gourley took to Facebook last week, urging parents and friends to turn out to support the proposed recreation center. By the end of the council meeting, when Mayor Gee Williams asked for public comments, a sizeable standing-room-only crowd had amassed in the back of the room.
Gourley was the first to speak.
“I didn’t think I was going to get up there and say anything because I’m just the mom of a skateboarder,” she said. “Then I realized, shoot I’m the one that got everybody here. They’re all looking at me.
“I’m not going to be the ringleader, but it’s so important to me and to my kids,” Gourley continued. “I don’t mind calling people. Everybody wants to help. Now people are calling me asking, ‘What can we do?’ As far as I know, we just need to keep going to the meetings and to keep inquiring about it and hopefully they’ll see how important it is – to all of us.”
District 1 Councilmember Troy Purnell, who owns the Tyson facility, has stayed out of negotiations.
“I can’t comment on anything,” he said. “Obviously I’m not involved in any of the town’s discussions directly at all. Certainly, I think it’s a fantastic spot for it. I’m 100 percent in favor of it. I think it would be a good thing for the town to do, but as far as details go I am strictly forbidden.”
Purnell, who was out of town on vacation during the last meeting, said people ask him about the project on a daily basis.
“Everybody tells me, ‘What can I do to make it happen?’ I say, ‘basically, I have to rely on my partners to pull it all off,’” he said. “I know they’re discussing some stuff with the town, but exactly what it is I am certainly forbidden to discuss it.”
“I think it’s a great idea and I think it’s a great place,” Purnell continued. “Something needs to be done [for the skateboarders], that’s for sure. We need some type of park for them. If Ocean Pines can pull it off, Berlin can certainly pull it off. There’s money that’s available to do that kind of stuff, and that type of recreation is sorely needed.
Gourley said she has spoken to town officials since the meeting, and hopes to keep the idea alive in the court of public opinion. The Tyson plant, she said, is the perfect location.
“We want to emphasize the importance of the property because of what it has to offer,” she said. “There’s two diverse athletics there [biking and skateboarding] that could be put to use. There could be a pavilion to have live performances and to have community gatherings and public events.
“I feel like if we don’t start speaking and start organizing things are going to fizzle out,” Gourley continued.
“We want to keep up our presence at the meetings and to just keep on inquiring. We need to top America’s Coolest Small Town with America’s coolest rec. center at the old Tyson factory.”