Now that school is out and the weather is nice, more people are out and about by foot or by bicycle. But people can't ride their bicycles or skateboards anywhere they please.
Downtown business owner and city councilwoman Gillette Kempf said she has seen many kids zooming past her business on bicycles, skateboards or other wheeled transportation. She, like others, is concerned about the safety of pedestrians, especially the elderly.
Signs are posted in the downtown district banning bicycles, skateboards and inline skates on sidewalks. Exceptions are made for scooters that an elderly or physically disabled person might use.
Wadena Police Chief Naomi Plautz said it basically covers the "heart of the downtown area," which includes from U.S. Highway 10 south to the Wadena County Courthouse and between First Street Southwest and First Street Southeast, along with the alleys in between.
It comes down to safety.
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"You've got pedestrians and bikes and skateboards going a lot faster and are a lot more dangerous," Plautz said. "Technically, bicycles are supposed to be on the street."
She understands that parents would rather have their young kids riding a bicycle on sidewalks than the street but kids can ride bicycles other places besides downtown, she said.
People can have bicycles downtown but they need to walk them on sidewalks, Plautz added.
Enforcement is tough, she acknowledged.
"Short of posting an officer there all day or try to catch someone, it's kind of hit and miss," she said.
The signs were put up to deter bicycles and skateboards on sidewalks a number of years ago but Plautz said people need a reminder once in a while.
"We're not going to give out a ticket or anything," she said.
But if kids are being resistant to the idea of staying off the sidewalks officers have taken their skateboards and told them that their parent can come to the station to pick them up.
