The Memphis City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve an ordinance requiring the use of helmets during skateboarding, biking, or inline skating at the city skate park.
Violators will face a $50 fine, but the court system will have the option of throwing out the first charge as a warning.
The skate park on Avery opened in November before any city law was in place requiring helmets, but there have been rules posted since opening day encouraging skaters to don helmets. Twelve-year-old William Faulhaber was charged with criminal trespassing last month when a Memphis police officer singled him out for not wearing a helmet. See our last News Blog post for details and a video.
At the council meeting, councilwoman Wanda Halbert asked city attorney Herman Morris if the city is liable for injuries incurred at the park. Morris said the city is liable, but research has shown that the city’s responsibility at the skate park “shouldn’t be any more significant than with any other playgrounds.”
