New skate park for Thatcham?

The town could get a new skate park in Lower Way or have current one refurbished after appeal by 12-year-old boy

YOUNG people could get a new skate park in Thatcham or see improvements to the one in Dunstan Green.

Thatcham Town Council has been approached by a 12-year-old skateboarder and another resident, who were both keen to see improvements made to the facility.

The estimated costs of improvements sit at about £50,000, but Dunstan Green is a registered village green and so there are restrictions as to what could be achieved.

The town council has also been approached by several young people asking for two additional skate parks in the town as Dunstan Park, they argued, was too far for them.

One of the young people suggested that Pound Lane open space could be an area for one of the new skate parks, an option the town council decided not to pursue.

However, the council did agree to speak to members of the Thatcham Vision to see whether ramps could be incorporated into its plans to turn some land off Lower Way into an off-road cycle track.

The services manager at the town council, Mel Alexander, said that the new skate park in Victoria Park, Newbury, had sparked a great deal of interest and that Thatcham people wanted something a bit more exciting than what already exists.

Councillor Lee Dillon (Lib Dem, Thatcham North) said: “They should be applauded for coming to us.

“We want people to come to use with ideas about how to spend their money.”

It was agreed to invite Dunstan Green skate park users to the next meeting of the recreation and amenities committee in October to speak to the council before making any decisions about funding.

What do you think of the proposals?

Email Tanya Haji at tanya.haji@newburynews.co.uk