Salem Makes Unsuccessful Bid for Windham Skate Park Equipment

The Windham Board of Selectmen took up bids on Monday for the town's skate park equipment, and one of those bids came from the Salem Recreation Department.

According to Windham Town Administrator Dave Sullivan, the $4,100 bid was for three of the town's skateboard ramps, miscellaneous sheets of plywood and one of the angled grinding bars.

Windham is trying to unload 11 ramps and 2 grinding bars as part of a town decision to close down and sell off the recreational facility. The decision was made based on several factors, including the lack of helmet use, excessive police responses to the area and the use of profanity by those using the park.

Given that the Salem bid didn't meet the specifications put out by Windham, which was a request for bids for all of the equipment, it was rejected.

Salem was looking to use money from the Hedgehog Park Expendable Trust Fund.

Windham will now make another attempt to sell the equipment, this time by using a government auction website.

Similar to Windham, the Hedgehog Park skateboard facility costs around $50,000. The recreation area has not been immune to mistreatment. In January 2012, the park was subject to vandalism, with the park's fences getting torn apart.