Revamp of ramps starts at Thatcham skate park

One of the ramps has already been removed for modification, but the bulk of the work will start after the school Easter holidays.
As well as re-surfaced ramps, extra equipment will be installed. Some of the money is also being spent on closing off the backs of the ramps to prevent anyone getting underneath them.
The Jubilee Skate Park Project, made up of local parents and young people, has been campaigning for the revamp while raising money to fund it, and with the help of Thatcham Town Council, members have also helped develop the plan and get the views of users.
Project chairwoman Paula McAuley said: “It is great to see work starting. Youth facilities in the area are currently very limited and the revamped skate park will be a great boost.
“The nearest skate park is five miles away, but it excludes a large number of children and young people as scooter riders are not allowed to use it due to its design and concrete construction. We cannot wait to see the fully inclusive work complete.”
The Atomic Weapons Establishment has added £250 to the project, thanks to a nomination from employee and skateboarder. Thomas Evans, who works in change management on document control and process modelling at AWE, suggested that money from the firm’s community fund could be donated to the project as he had used the facility since it was built about eight years ago.
Mr Evans, who is one of the skate park committee members, said: “I wanted people to still have the chance to enjoy it just as much as I have, since it was built in 2005.
“It’s great that AWE is supporting the local community in this way.”
AWE’s community committee secretary Michele Maidment said: “This is a slightly different cause [from the usual ones AWE supports], but nonetheless we are very happy to support it, and help towards maintaining this much-loved community space.”