Town accused of ‘backing out’ of Riverhead skate park project

Riverhead officials are backing away from plans to build a new town skate park, according to the head of a nonprofit formed to fundraise for the project.

Town officials say they lack the funds to support the new facility, which was proposed by The Dexus Project — a nonprofit established by friends and family of Baiting Hollow native Wesley Dean Ackley. Ackley, who died in 2023 from a rare form of cancer, was a regular at the Stotzky Park skate park and successfully advocated for the town to eliminate its usage fee. The town dedicated the park to Ackley in 2023.

At a January work session, Dexus Project founder Chris Patti, a lifelong friend of Ackley’s, pitched replacing the existing skatepark at Stotzky with a new, larger facility that could suit skaters of all skill levels. The proposed site lies adjacent to Stotzky Park on a parcel owned by Suffolk County. Two decades ago, the county entered into an agreement with the town allowing it to manage and develop the land for park use; the parcel remains undeveloped.

Patti said it was clear from the work session and private meetings with town officials that Riverhead Town would take possession of the property and build the skate park with the financial support of The Dexus Project and grant programs.

However, on Tuesday, the Town Board was scheduled to vote on a resolution that would transfer the responsibility of constructing the skate park to The Dexus Project — terms Patti said he never agreed to. He objected to the resolution and urged the board to table it.

“The town already recognized the value of this skate park project,” Patti said, referring to the Town Board members’ vocal support during the January work session for pursuing grants for the project. 

The Town Board passing the resolution would amount to them “backing out” of the project, Patti said in an interview before the meeting.

Town officials expressed support for the skate park project, but appeared to have a different understanding of their role, leading to a roundabout exchange between Patti, board members, and Town Attorney Erik Howard.

Council Member Bob Kern said the resolution would give The Dexus Project access to the land needed to make the skate park a reality. “You don’t have to go out and purchase it. We’re in support of you getting an agreement with Suffolk County, and you’re not going to pay anything for the land,” he said.

Rothwell said the resolution “validates your project so that you can seek grant funding and other opportunities to raise money.” He added that the town does not have the funds to create the skate park, which Patti has estimated could cost more than $1 million in total. 

“There’s been no additional budgets put forth [for] proposals. There is no current money allocated for any type of development of that project,” Rothwell said.

“Well, I understand about the budget and there’s no money. But if there’s no money, then where’s the town getting over $800,000 to build bathrooms and a little used Park in Calverton?” Patti said, referring to the sanitary system and bathrooms recently completed at Veterans Memorial Park. “We could have built a skate park with that money.”

“Well, now you’re comparing apples to grapefruit. It’s not the same thing,” Supervisor Tim Hubbard said. “Entirely, not the same thing. Parks need facilities. That facility was needed up in that park. It needed restrooms. It needs more restrooms.”

Patti said he wasn’t notified of the town’s resolution until the day before the vote was scheduled. Patti said he called and emailed town officials asking for clarification and for the resolution to be tabled, but nobody responded.

“How will the town rebuild its own park if it’s not responsible financially for it, after this resolution is passed?” Patti asked. The Wesley Dean Ackley Skate Park is “dilapidated,” Patti said.

The process outlined in the resolution is the “cleanest path” to get The Dexus Project land for the project, Howard said. He said there was no agreement that the town would be responsible for the project. 

“There was a work session presentation of the idea, and the Town Board, you know, offered general support and thought that it would be a great project,” he said. The Town Board could direct the Community Development Department to apply for grants for the project after an agreement is reached with the county, Howard said.

The board ultimately tabled the resolution at Rothwell’s suggestion and Patti’s urging.

“I’m going to suggest you set up a meeting with the involved parties on this,” Hubbard told Patti. “You’re just going around in circles here.”

Patti and others formed The Dexus Project — named after a word Ackley invented that was accepted into the slang website Urban Dictionary — with the goal of fundraising for repairs to the existing skate park. That plan later expanded to fund a new, state-of-the-art facility. The all-volunteer group has raised almost $30,000, Patti said. A fundraiser is scheduled for next Friday at Box Pickleball in Riverhead. 

“We need to do something that’s fitting for his legacy, and it’s up to the town to fix their public park,” Patti said during an interview Tuesday. “And what I’m doing for them is just a great service. I’m providing supplemental funds that we’ve raised privately. And there’s not, as far as I know… [another] project on the town’s docket where the residents have donated tens of thousands of dollars out of their pockets…”

“And so I hope the town is willing to collaborate and stick to their word,” Patti added. “But I do want to make it clear I’m not trying to make enemies with the town here. I just want there to be transparency and open collaboration to build something great for the town’s residents — and really for the children.”