A man from Tafton, who started a foundation in memory of his son who died from a fentanyl overdose, has proposed to Hawley Borough to rebuild the existing skate park and name it Awareness Park as a place for events focused on addressing substance abuse.
Bill Messinetti summarized his proposal at the Hawley council meeting on May 8.
In 2021-2022, there was much discussion and planning underway to reconstruct and even enlarge the skate park and promote the facility's use. That proposal has since been tabled.
After hearing this latest proposal, Council President Ann Monaghan advised having their solicitor review it, and to discuss it further at the next Parks & Recreation Commission meeting and then have it on the June 12 council meeting agenda. Messinetti had initially briefed Parks & Rec at their April meeting, where he was advised to attend the May council session.
In the letter Messinetti gave to the council, he said his two children attended Wallenpaupack schools. He has been a member of the Pike County Opiate Task Force, and he and his wife Deborah were involved in a support group, Hope4Pike. "Very unfortunately, during my tenure with both of these groups, my son Kyle Messinetti passed away at the age of 26 on October 16, 2018, poisoned by 100% fentanyl," he said.
Recently, he founded the Kyle T. Messinetti Foundation. The mission, he states in the letter, is to help educate the public about mental health, substance abuse disorder and the dangers of fentanyl, and to address stigma. "We need to help save other families from the devastation this kind of grief brings," he said.
Their first activity would be to build what he calls Awareness Park by having the present skatepark reconstructed, where organizations and schools can hold events focused on substance abuse. His proposal is not to enlarge the skate park, but to replace it with up-to-date safety features and equipment. The present facility was opened in 2006 after a group of local skateboard-loving teenagers came to the council, gained favor for their idea, and helped raise funds towards it.
He said they have preliminary design options and obtained prices from one of the leading skate park design/build companies nationwide, American Ramp Company. The prices range from roughly $100,000 to $250,000, he said. The company does not handle removal of the old skate park or repaving the surface.
Messinetti asked the council for approval for him to seek grants to fund the project. Councilor Michele Rojas, who coordinates seeking grant sources and administering them, advised that the borough will have to be involved. "It sounds like an exciting project, and we look forward to hearing from you next month," she added.
Messinetti said he has met with representatives of different organizations who indicated they already come to the park to do events and would gladly support the concept. He met with Pike County Commissioner Matthew Osterberg, who he said backs the project. Additionally, he said he would like to address the Wayne County commissioners for a letter of support for grant applications.
Michael Dougherty, borough councilor and Parks & Rec chairperson, said the general idea is fine but the more details Messinetti can provide, the better.
Councilor Elaine Herzog advised they will need to be clear on who does what, regarding the actual construction.
Hawley council meets on the second Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall, 94 Main Ave.
Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.
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