Youngsters who regularly use the park, in Thurning Road, behind the community centre in Whittlesey Road, have successfully gained the sizeable sum through Peterborough City Council’s Young Peoples’ Service.

The breakthrough follows a raft of meetings in recent months with various organisations, including the council and police, who decided that the park was in desperate need of a transformation.

Lewis Ellington, Matt Woods, Sam Skinner and Jordan Rozario have won a cash boost for their skatepark.

They then presented their case to the Youth Bank in a Dragons’ Den style bid, who gave them £50,000. The rest was matched by the council themselves.

Youth worker Sue Schofield said: “They have all worked really hard. It’s their say so and their actions and they are putting everything in that they want.”

Group member Sam Skinner (16) added: “It’s taken a lot of work and we’ve been to lots of meetings, but it’s all been worth it and it’s paid off.”

Teens Matt Woods (16), Corey Perkins (14), Lewis Ellington (12), Rachel Harper (15) and Jordan Rozario (15) were also involved in the project.

It is hoped the re-development will begin in March with a grand opening in the summer.

[ Peterborough Today ]

Rieaston Meins lives just a stone’s throw away from the city’s former indoor park Y2SK8, in Fletton, which closed two years ago, and has been campaigning for a replacement.

But having recently found out a new indoor skatepark is not in Peterborough City Council’s current plans, the 21-year-old has decided to go it alone.

Rieaston, who regularly travels around the country to improve his talent, is now looking for business investment to lend a helping hand.

He said: “In Peterborough there was and still is a huge and ever-growing community of people who are interested in wheeled or extreme sports.

“I still fully believe an indoor skatepark for Peterborough is hugely needed and would be a successful and popular business.

“There are a few investors interested but obviously nothing is set in stone just yet, I am still interested to hear from any other interested investors.”

The council’s sports services manager Jon Marsden said although there was no money available for an indoor park at this time, the council has invested significant amounts of money in upgrading its outdoor parks, including the one in Bretton, which has had a major facelift.

He added: “We appreciate there is a demand for indoor skating facilities in Peterborough. But funding is not available at this time to provide that facility.

“As and when we are able to develop new indoor sports facilities in Peterborough we will try and incorporate indoor facilities for extreme sports including skating.”

Anyone who would like to help Rieaston fund a new indoor skatepark in Peterborough, should contact him by e-mail on peterborough-extreme@hotmail.co.uk

[ Peterborough Today ]

After several years of intensive effort by skateboarders, a formal planning application has now been submitted.

The proposed park will be located close to the promenade, near the boathouse, and will comprise of two concrete bowls and a street area sunk into the ground with a raised bank for seating and extensive landscaping.

Sarah Souter, a member of PSP, said: “I know many people were at first against having a skatepark at the Lake Grounds but once they looked at the plans properly, and listened to our proposals, they realised it was going to be an asset not a detriment.”

The Lake Grounds has been sited as the ideal location because it is far away enough from houses not to cause a disturbance but close to facilities like toilets and a café. Quiet concrete will be used to minimise noise and organisers have reassured objectors that antisocial behaviour is not a feature associated with skaters.

PSP chairman Tony Mosely said: “We responded to concerns raised at the public consultations and have employed a landscape architect to help us design the new park.

“We believe we have arrived at a design that respects the Lake Grounds setting.”

Details of the planning application with a full design statement can be seen at the library in Portishead and on the North Somerset Council website reference 09/P/1856/F.

More information about the Portishead Skatepark Project can be found by visiting www.portisheadsk8.org.uk

[ Weston Mercury ]