Councilman Hopes Armrests Will Stop Skateboarders

Westwood officials are taking new measures to prevent skateboarders from damaging benches in Veterans' Memorial Park.

The borough will install armrests in the middle of the memorial benches to stop skaters from sliding their boards along the seats, Councilman Peter Grefrath said this week.

Grefrath previously reported that benches in the park had been damaged, then reported more damage after they had been repaired.

"When all is said and done, it's vandalism," Grefrath previously said.

The new armrests come at a cost of $148, which will be paid for from the donation account used to buy the benches. Grefrath said he was unsure whether the price for families looking to dedicate benches would increase in the future.

The armrests should be installed within the next two to six weeks, according to Grefrath. The damage to benches — consisting of some paint scuff marks and scratched metal — would then also be repaired, he said.

Grefrath also suggested adding two more cameras to the bandstand so police can "maintain visuals of the rest of the park." Currently, there is only one camera and it is pointed toward the train station.

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