WORK on the long-awaited project to build a 50m skate park in Leamington has begun.
Save Our Skate Park chairman Alex Walker launched a fund-raising campaign back in 2011 after the old skate ramp was removed from Victoria Park over concerns about health and safety.
But earlier this year it was announced the scheme had finally been made possible thanks to a successful bid for funding of £60,000 from the SITA Trust coupled with a £50,000 grant by Warwick District Council.
The plans were officially given the green light at a meeting in June and construction work recently started on the skate park, which is expected to be some seven metres wide, and will have a range of concrete ramps and jumps up to 1.7metres high.
It has been designed by Alex and the group and they hope the new facility will provide an improved, larger skate park, which will suit those with a wide range of abilities.
Council chiefs also say having a central skate park will mean police officers should be able to spend less time moving on nuisance skaters.
Alex told the Observer: “We are very pleased to announce that the facility has begun development. It has taken roughly five years for this to happen and our board is extremely happy Leamington finally has the skate park it deserves.
“It is a legacy skatepark and will bring a contemporary sport to prominence in our town.”
The skate park is being built by engineering company Canvas near the existing children’s paddling pool and playground at the Archery Road park.
The first stage of the project is expected to be complete by next month and the group has now turned its attentions to getting floodlights installed on site.
Alex added: “Lights are definitely our next objective but due to planning and funding constraints that probably will not happen until autumn 2017.
“If any individuals or businesses are interested in working with us please get in touch by email or through our Facebook page.
“We are looking to create a feel-good factor in the park and are hoping to put on events in the future with other local organisations. We cannot wait to have the park thriving once more.”
Email [email protected] for further details.
