Free skating will return to the Audie Murphy Ranch Skate Park on June 19 from noon to 8:30 p.m. as the City of Menifee hosts its annual Go Skate Day celebration.
All wheels are welcome and the event will feature vendors, giveaways and a scooter and skateboard raffle. Skaters are encouraged to stay for a screening of “Captain America: Brave New World” at dusk for the city’s Movie in the Park event.
Skaters under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult, according to the City of Menifee. All riders must wear helmets, elbow and knee pads and sign a waiver.
Free skating has traditionally been offered during Go Skate Day, which brings local skaters together for a day of riding. This year’s event comes as the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission recently approved plans for a three-month pilot program that will transition the park to an unstaffed, “use at your own risk” model.
The skate park opened in 2014 and initially operated without admission fees. However, city officials temporarily closed the facility in late 2016 for about three months after nearby residents raised concerns about problems involving some visitors, including reports of drug and alcohol use, racing vehicles and littering.
In October 2018, the city reopened the facility with a staffed, fee-based admission system. Current fees are $3 per day for Menifee residents and $10 per day for non-residents. Annual passes are available for $10 for residents and $100 for non-residents.
The changes were intended to address community concerns, but attendance has remained low in recent years, and residents have increasingly questioned the fees and restrictions. Attendance figures provided by the city show the park recorded 24 users in January, 28 in February, 54 in March, 62 in April and 30 in May.
Under the pilot program, the facility will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily with free admission, and no registration requirements. The program is expected to begin later this fall, the City of Menifee Communications Director Philip Southard said. Additional information about the pilot program is expected to be released closer to its start date.
