Local Wokingham skaters and BMX riders get a life line
The skate park in London Road in Wokingham has been given a life line after negotiations between Wokingham Borough Council, Wokingham Town Council and Leisure Connections were successful in allowing the skate park to remain on site until September.
The Wokingham skate park, located on land within St Crispin’s Sports Centre has been opened since 2006 and is used frequently by the borough’s young skaters and BMX riders. Over the past few months a number of issues have been highlighted with regard to graffiti, litter and noise and, as a result, Wokingham Borough Council’s parks and open spaces team will take over the maintenance of the site from Wokingham Town Council on April 1, 2008.
One of the first tasks to be undertaken by the borough council will be to clean up the site which is set to be completed just in time for the Easter school holidays when young people will be looking for a way to spend their time off. Following the clean up, the council’s contractor Quadrant will visit the site twice a week to ensure it is safe, clean and tidy.
Shrubs will also be cut back on the site plus a number of trees will be planted along the outside fence and fencing will be improved. The council also plans to erect a mesh-fence at the back of the skate park in order to prevent further graffiti from happening. Graffiti on the walls will also be removed.
Cllr Malcolm Bryant, champion for Wokingham youth and leisure, said: “Although we have had a number of issues with the skate park, it has given the young people of the local area something to do and it has been a success in many ways, with some days seeing families and young people enjoying the facilities. We are conscious of a number of issues regarding litter and graffiti and, as a result, the borough council will take over the maintenance and monitoring of the site on a more regular basis to ensure it is kept clean and tidy for the whole community.
“It is important the young people own and respect their skate park and we are looking for their co-operation. We have been given a life line until September and this is the young people’s chance to take ownership of it and to help look after it over the coming months to help us to negotiate for the park to remain at St Crispin’s Sports Centre. This youth facility is immensely popular with the young people and I am very keen it stays where it is but we all need to work together to make it an even bigger success.”
The borough council’s youth workers will visit the site on a regular basis.
The Wokingham skate park, located on land within St Crispin’s Sports Centre has been opened since 2006 and is used frequently by the borough’s young skaters and BMX riders. Over the past few months a number of issues have been highlighted with regard to graffiti, litter and noise and, as a result, Wokingham Borough Council’s parks and open spaces team will take over the maintenance of the site from Wokingham Town Council on April 1, 2008.
One of the first tasks to be undertaken by the borough council will be to clean up the site which is set to be completed just in time for the Easter school holidays when young people will be looking for a way to spend their time off. Following the clean up, the council’s contractor Quadrant will visit the site twice a week to ensure it is safe, clean and tidy.
Shrubs will also be cut back on the site plus a number of trees will be planted along the outside fence and fencing will be improved. The council also plans to erect a mesh-fence at the back of the skate park in order to prevent further graffiti from happening. Graffiti on the walls will also be removed.
Cllr Malcolm Bryant, champion for Wokingham youth and leisure, said: “Although we have had a number of issues with the skate park, it has given the young people of the local area something to do and it has been a success in many ways, with some days seeing families and young people enjoying the facilities. We are conscious of a number of issues regarding litter and graffiti and, as a result, the borough council will take over the maintenance and monitoring of the site on a more regular basis to ensure it is kept clean and tidy for the whole community.
“It is important the young people own and respect their skate park and we are looking for their co-operation. We have been given a life line until September and this is the young people’s chance to take ownership of it and to help look after it over the coming months to help us to negotiate for the park to remain at St Crispin’s Sports Centre. This youth facility is immensely popular with the young people and I am very keen it stays where it is but we all need to work together to make it an even bigger success.”
The borough council’s youth workers will visit the site on a regular basis.
Wokingham Borough Council
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