Vandalism Cleaned Up at Skate Park; More Items to be Included in the Park

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Published on November 2 2015 3:38 pm
Last Updated on November 2 2015 4:23 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

(ACTION FROM THIS YEAR'S HAM CITY JAM SKATE COMPETITION AT HENDELMEYER PARK)

Area resident Deano Tull has made it his mission to improve the quality of the skate park at Hendelmeyer Park, both the facilities and the reputation of the park.

Deano's efforts suffered a blow Sunday night when someone vandalized the park. There was gravel everywhere, and someone crushed potato chips and scattered them all over the skatepark and on the ramps.

When Deano found out about the vandalism Sunday night, it took the wind out of his sails. He said, "This is stupid. This isn't what the atmosphere has been like (at the park)." Then, Monday morning, he got word while at work that his girlfriend, Adriana Kaufman and Effingham Park District employees cleaned up the mess. Said Deano, "Adriana borrowed some pushbrooms from her father's business, while Park District staffers used leafblowers to get rid of the mess. It makes me feel pretty good."

Deano said there are people with a good idea as to who committed the vandalism, and city police have been notified.

Gravel littered Effingham's skate park Sunday night

Tull is a devoted skateboarder, competing in events as far away as Chicago, but has also worked to boost the offerings at the skate park at Hendelmeyer and to raise the reputation of the park and those skaters who utilize it. He has sponsored major competitions at Hendelmeyer in recent years, bringing in contestants from a large part of downstate Illinois. Basically, the skaters utilizing Hendelmeyer are competing in their sport.

Deano has plans to expand the offerings at the skate park; Neoga city officials are turning over some of the items they are replacing in their park for use at Hendelmeyer Park. He estimates the value of the donated items at between $30,000 and $40,000.