Longboarders and officials negotiate

PROVO CANYON — Some say the quickest way to understand a man's heart is to walk a mile in his shoes; Utah County Commissioner Gary Anderson would rather take a ride on his longboard.

"Whoa, that was awesome." Anderson said, after a teetering ride through Bridal Veil Park on one of the wheeled contraptions, which, starting Friday, won't be allowed on county-run trails. "I'm going to have to get me a board."

Anderson took a walk along the Provo River Parkway on Wednesday with longboarders, police officers and public works employees, to discuss what needs to be done to keep longboarders in the parks. After an hour and a half discussing the trail's safety issues, he was convinced the ban won't last long. He'd like to see boarders reunited with their wheels by next week, he said.

"We're giving this priority because we want longboarders back on the trail as soon as possible," he said. "We build trails to use. Our goal is safety and usage, in that order."

Anderson organized the meeting to gather information for a new ordinance that would define safety rules for county-run trails, he said.

"The only way to solve a problem is to get all the involved parties on the site of the problem," he said.

The Utah County Commission originally decided to ban the boards after a large group of longboarders collided with several sightseers, injuring a child. Anderson said the commission acted "for liability reasons" but never intended to keep boarders off the trail permanently.

The main concern is a narrow strip of trail passing in front of Bridal Veil Falls, said Utah County Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Harris.

About 50 people gathered on the asphalt in front of the falls Wednesday. An in-line skater coming down the trail weaved through the crowd, dodging a child and just missing a small dog.

"There it is, there's the problem," Harris said, pointing. "We need to get a platform for the sightseers to stand on or get some signs up so people on the trail will slow down."

Brian Shuey, 21, who has been longboarding in Provo for about eight years, suggested the county install a grate or a speed bump just before the falls to force people to get off their longboards and walk. The group also discussed marking the lanes painted on the trail more clearly and restricting passing on blind corners.

"In my opinion, anything that keeps the trail open is OK with me," said Howard Hansen, 23, another longtime boarder who attended the meeting.

The campground at Nunns Park is another trouble spot, said Russ Egar, the Utah County Parks Division manager. Egar said campers frequently complain about longboarders whooping and hollering as they speed by.

He said, however, longboarders aren't wholly responsible for the trail's problems.

"I think we should have an ordinance, but every user group needs to follow the same rules, not just longboarders," he said. "I have just as much trouble with ladies pushing strollers."

Commissioner Steve White is pleased with the way longboarders have handled the ban. As an appeal, the boarders gave the commissioner a list of suggestions on how to make the trail safer.

"The attorneys would say, 'Don't ever let them back on,"' he said. "But nothing is risk free. I may be 58, but I remember going to work on a skateboard."

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