THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 9, 1997 TAG: 9701090328
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 61 lines
If enough snow falls today to close schools and send sledders to Mount Trashmore, the city will be no better prepared to deal with the problems than it was a year ago when thousands converged on the hill, resulting in several serious injuries.
``We're looking at some options, but we're not prepared to implement it tomorrow,'' Parks and Recreation Director Susan D. Walston said Wednesday. ``If it snowed 3 inches tomorrow, we would not open Mount Trashmore.''
Walston said that the decision about closing the park today if necessary will have no bearing on opening the park for future sledding.
A Feb. 3, 1996, snowstorm drew about 5,000 thrill-seekers to Mount Trashmore Park where dozens of riders, poised on vinyl tablecloths, inflatable boats, trash can lids, and even a canoe, were injured while parks officials struggled to maintain control.
Twenty people were treated for injuries, authorities said, 13 were taken to the hospital and two required surgery for abdominal injuries.
Days later, parks administrator Ray A. Emerson formed a committee to develop a list of recommendations that would keep the park open and safe to sledders during snowstorms.
A year later, the committee has yet to finalize its snow plan.
``We made a decision and recommendations back in August,'' Emerson said. ``We're still hashing around a way to do it.''
The committee has 10 members, including one member of the public and city employees representing law enforcement, risk management, emergency medical services, parks and recreation and general services departments.
The group was charged with developing a list of recommendations for this season, including finding a way to adequately staff the park without closing it, Emerson said.
``Do we budget for something we're not sure will happen again?'' Emerson said. ``Also, to do this again safely, it's going to be a way toned down activity and not the chaos it was last year.''
Committee members are still ``hashing out'' the details of the recommendations.
``We're hoping we can work this out as early as Friday,'' Emerson said.
Last year's melee also has resulted in a civil lawsuit being filed against the city of Virginia Beach by Lori Simon on behalf of her 12-year-old daughter, who was injured riding a Boogie board down the hill last February. The girl ran into a fence at the bottom.
The incident involves two lawsuits filed by the family. One suit, filed on behalf of the 12-year-old, seeks $750,000 in damages. The second suit was filed by her mother seeking $100,000 in compensation for medical and other expenses the family incurred. The case is scheduled to be heard in June.
Earlier interviews indicate that some of the recommendations the committee is studying include how to fund and pay the employees needed to staff the park, how to keep the activities safe, what type of apparatus to allow, and whether to restrict sledding to certain areas of the hill.
Last year, a number of the injuries happened on the northwestern, and steepest, face of Mount Trashmore, near the city seal. The city had erected three sections of plastic fencing to discourage sledding. But adults and children alike ignored the fence and tore it down.
Medics waited for sledders at the bottom of the hill where four ambulances from three squads shuttled the injured to Virginia Beach General, Sentara Bayside and Sentara Leigh hospitals.