The Audie Murphy Ranch Skate Park will transition to a free, unstaffed model beginning in November as the City of Menifee launches a three-month pilot program.
The pilot will run through January, allowing the skate park to operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week without admission fees or registration requirements, according to Menifee Community Services Coordinator Michael Rinehart.
The change was previously approved by the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission in May, but implementation was delayed until the completion of a new Park Ranger Station and Sports Staff Substation at Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park. The facility is expected to be completed in early November.
Although the skate park itself will be unstaffed, park rangers and sports staff will have a regular presence at the park and will respond to issues when needed.
The open-access model will also eliminate heat closures. Rinehart said the facility had been closed for more than a week during a recent stretch of 100-degree days.Â
The skate park originally opened in 2014 without admission fees but was temporarily closed in late 2016 after nearby residents raised concerns about issues involving some visitors, including drug and alcohol use, racing vehicles and littering.
The city reopened the facility in 2018 with staff and admission fees in an effort to address those concerns. The current model costs the city approximately $67,000 annually in staffing, while admission fees offset less than 3% of those costs.
The city began considering a return to an unstaffed model as attendance declined and residents questioned the park’s fees and restrictions. A survey conducted earlier this year received 148 responses, with 51% supporting a free, open-access model and 45% preferring the current staffed model.
During the three-month pilot, city staff will monitor attendance, maintenance needs, the condition of the facility, incidents, community feedback, compliance with park rules and other impacts. Staff will return to the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission after the pilot to present the results.
