SALEM – A selectman wants plans for a skate park to get rolling years after residents already paid for the project.

After learning two weeks ago that town-funded materials for a skate park have been in storage for two years, Selectman Patrick Hargreaves said delays have been unacceptable.

“Taxpayers paid for a park; taxpayers don’t have a park. We need to find a place for it,” Hargreaves said. “I’m not letting up on this until we’re getting a skate park.”

In 2004, residents paid for $30,000 worth of skate park equipment to fund a citizen petition put forth by a local teen. When proposed locations fell through, the equipment, consisting of half-pipe ramps and other fixtures, sat in storage.

“We actually purchased the equipment. However, we’re just trying to locate a good place in town that will be ideal for its success,” said Chris Dillon, who was hired last fall as the town’s recreation director.

While the location was first meant to be the Field of Dreams, Hargreaves said proposed locations at the site weren’t viable and that no substitute was found.

“It’s wetlands, so we can’t put it there, and we were originally going to put it there, but it won’t work,” who Hargreaves, who has served as the selectmen’s representative to the Field of Dreams group this past year.

The Field of Dreams, which is a public park on Geremonty Drive, is run by a nonprofit group leasing land from the town. Hargreaves takes issue most with the five-year warranty that was purchased for the equipment that will be more than half expired before anyone even skates on it.

“It’s like buying a car and not driving the car until the warranty expires,” he said. “Does that make sense?”

Selectmen Chairman Everett McBride said he thought the delay was associated with slowing fundraising within the Field of Dreams group, which agreed to pay part of the park’s construction costs.

“They didn’t have the money and now that they do, they’re attempting to get it going,” Mc- Bride said.

This past year, McBride said, the nonprofit group gained the ability to charge parking to high school students with a change to the lease agreement.

“I wish Pat could have brought it up to us sooner,” McBride said. “That’s why selectmen are serving on several committees.”

Hargreaves said his function as a representative to the Field of Dreams group is limited to what the nonprofit group goes over at its monthly meetings. He said only learned of the purchased equipment two weeks ago, when Dillon informed the group that the storage location would be changing.

Dillon said the recreation advisory committee has since been considering locations at local parks that may fit the skate park.

“I do feel that we’re making progress on it. It’s actually one of my number one goals to get it up and running,” Dillon said.