A regional skate park may be built in West Middlesex, but before skateboarders and in-line skaters start spinning their wheels, liability insurance issues have to be explored.

"We're not going to pursue this project unless we have adequate liability coverage -- and we can afford the coverage," said James DeCapua, executive director of Mercer County Regional Council of Governments.

"No waivers signed by parents. They are worthless as far as litigation is concerned," he said Wednesday.

COG is preparing an application for a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Small Communities grant to build a skateboard/roller blade park. West Middlesex will serve as grant applicant. If all the liability questions are resolved, the council will apply for the grant in November.

The park is expected to cost about $60,000 -- $40,000 from DCNR and $20,000 from a local, in-kind match, according to Melissa Koch, COG regional recreation specialist.

Besides liability, another issue facing planners is money to maintain the skate park.

"Once we get that (liability) determined, how to keep it running is the next issue," said West Middlesex Mayor David George. He, DeCapua and others mentioned the idea of user fees to take care of upkeep and insurance.

If the idea takes off, the skate park would be located behind the Lackawannock-Shenango-West Middlesex Community Pool on Walnut Street in West Middlesex.

The park would be designed to fit the space and the budget, Ms. Koch said.

DeCapua and others said the intent of the park is to give teens something to do.

"It's confronting this sad situation of kids using private or public property for their skateboarding and Roller Blading," DeCapua said.

Skateboarders and inline skaters have very few places to legally skate in the county. Most recently, Mercer banned boards from most borough streets.