CHURCH CLOSES SKATE BOARD PARK ON CHURCH GROUNDS
The Press Enterprise recently reported on the closure of the Wildomar Skate Board Park which had been taken into the Cornerstone fold in December 2007. It appears that the church no longer wishes to support the project. Re-reading the newspaper articles from last year, it does not appear that Cornerstone was ever that enthusiastic about having the park.
Fair enough. They are a church, after all, working tirelessly, we hope, to rescue the perishing souls in a sin-filled world from perdition. They should not have to bear the exposure to liability from a dangerous sport when a city operated park has built-in immunities for the city.
Sadly, however, they have chosen not to comment to the reporters on the situation, depriving the public of a chance to express their gratitude for the time Cornerstone did make a place for skateboarders. They probably enjoyed the compliments when they took the skateboarders in. It simply takes a comment that “we’re done.” End of story and issue. Silence suggests some angst and discomfort over the closure. Cornerstone should be applauded for taking the skateboarders in, even for six months.
Perhaps the comments of one of the founding sisters tells the untold Cornerstone story best. “This didn’t work out,” Priscilla, 16, said. “But it’s not what we wanted. We want a park for Wildomar. This park was more for the church.” As it should be. Wildomar Magazine has no criticism for Cornerstone on this issue.
This, however, is why Wildomar’s first city officials have had to learn to leave churches out of their civic stuff. Cornerstone was always the easy ”go to” entity, whether for a skate board park or a city council meeting. It’s not a church’s job, including Cornerstone, to carry the city on their backs.
It tends to create a sense of obligation within the city in favor of the church; a thought of “we owe them.”
Thank God the Wildomar City Council appears to have gotten beyond that.
Comments to zakturango@excite.com will be saved for placement in the Time Capsule planted under the concrete slab at the future Wildomar Skate Board Park.
