Lads get skates on for new park

Teens enlist council support for new facility in Kingsclere

KINGSCLERE Parish Council has shown its support for a group of young people in their bid for a skate park in the village.

Five boys have spoken at two parish council meetings, presenting a 400-strong petition, plans, quotes and aspirations for the skatepark.

Max Preston, 16, told the parish council: “We are putting a lot of effort into the fundraising to show we really want this.”
The boys have secured a stand at the Kingsclere Twist 10km race on Sunday and hope it will garner support and kick-start their fundraising for the proposed skatepark.

The initial quote the boys presented to the ordinary meeting at the end of June was in the region of £30,000, but, after being tasked by the council to get further estimates, they were able to present one at the general purpose meeting for £5,100, including VAT.

The boys have suggested the skatepark – which will have a concrete base and a half-pipe ramp – could be located in William Holding Field.

They have also considered younger children with their proposals, and Max said: “With the youngsters, you can put a small cylinder next to the box for little kids so it’s a lot more children friendly.”

Council chairman John Sawyer said: “They have some idea of where it should be located and how it would be paid for and they are more than prepared to start fundraising to pay for the ramp.”

The parish council is happy to investigate the matter further and will look into planning requirements and an exact location in William Holding Field.

The boys have been asked to put together a plan of what they require for the park as a finished scheme, but broken down into phases, with the intention of creating a facility that can be expanded over time.

The scheme will be discussed further at the next meeting on July 31.