Racing ahead to Skatepark Week
Lyme Regis has wrestled for many years - indeed, many decades - with the challenge of providing in this small and hilly town a suitable skatepark facility for its energetic young (and not-so-young, if they choose).
Real progress has been made in the last couple of years under the determined leadership of Town Councillor Lucy Campbell and a small volunteer Skatepark Project Team. A site on the edge of Charmouth Road Car Park has been identified, with agreement in principle obtained from West Dorset District Council as owners of the land. Lyme Regis Town Council has voted to maintain and insure a skatepark on this site when it’s built.
A group of local young people has been meeting monthly to discuss ideas, designs and fundraising activities. They took a trip to one of the biggest skateparks in the UK, ‘Mount Hawke’ in Cornwall, and very much enjoyed their visit.
The skatepark fundraising group has been meeting on a monthly basis and organising local events to raise the profile of, and money for, the project. These events have included pub quizzes, sponsored walks, auctions and much more.
Following a thorough consultation with potential users, the results and a design brief were sent to a number of skatepark designers who had expressed an interest to design and build the skatepark. Six companies submitted designs by the end of August.
The next steps
The six designs will be taken to a users’ consultation evening where designers will be invited to give presentations on their designs and the young people will be able to choose their preferred option. This event will be at The Hub on Friday 28th September from 7:00pm, welcoming all young people who might use the skatepark (or ‘wheeled sports facility’) to get involved.
Having considered the consultation results, the option best favoured on 28th September, and other important factors, a panel consisting of a few councillors and some young people will select one design to take to the Town Council for agreement. That will enable the project team to take matters forward to the next stage, which will include talking with West Dorset District Council planners and a consultation with residents in Charmouth Road.
At the same time, the skatepark working group will meet to focus on developing a funding strategy for the project - something which is clearly very important for it to succeed.
Lyme Regis Skatepark Week: 23rd - 30th September
The consultation event on 28th September will form part of 'Lyme Regis Skatepark Week' in which other fundraising events will be held at the Nag’s Head in the town. These include:
- Cheese Club on Sunday 23rd and Sunday 30th, from 4:00pm - 7:00pm (just turn up at the Nag’s Head for a good selection of cheeses, pickles, paté, crackers, bread, etc that you can tuck into for a small donation)
- Quiz Night on Wednesday 26th at 7:30pm
- Harvest Home Auction on Saturday 29th at 7:30pm
Lyme Regis has been waiting a long time for a skatepark, and its young residents have shown great patience with the difficulties and delays. At this most promising juncture let’s all get behind the team and help them to achieve their long-overdue goal.
Chris Boothroyd,
Published on 24/09/2012.
