Is the Skatepark Finally Happening?
The (very) long awaited Totnes Skatepark may finally be on the horizon. Substantial funding has been raised and now a crowdfunder is in place to get it up to the crest.
The current tired arrangement is currently described as “made up of concrete ramps on a tarmac base. The skatepark is made up of two back and forth runs with quarter pipes and flat banks either side of funboxes”. Not exactly inspiring.
In the past there has been plenty of support to upgrade the shabby space but planning approvals and lack of concensus have halted progress. Arguments have been made about tree roots, moving the park into a less visible public area or near houses who can be disturbed by grinding wheels bringing all spinning wheels to a halt. The current plan is to build where the existing site is, and not having to undermine any tree roots.
Follow the Money
It seems obvious that the local youths are under-served and the new park promises, “…the skatepark is more than just a construction project – it’s about revitalising our community spirit, fostering inclusion, promoting physical activity, and giving the youth of Totnes a safe space to express themselves freely, and a place to be proud of.” The organisers believe the park will come in under £300,000 and have already secured funding to £118k. They particularly thank SkateToTheMax a CIC started after Totnes Skater, Max Hamilton tragically died in a skateboarding accident. They are dedicated to promoting safety & benefits of skating. If the crowdfunder can raise £40,000, the fund will be boosted by matchfunding of £10k from Sport England
The Hard work
Town Councillor Jo Sweett has been campaigning hard for many years and notes that the delays in completion means “A whole generation of skaters has been lost”. She is quite sure that “It would have been done already if not for Covid“. However on meeting her, she’s more encouraged and determined to get to the finish line. “There’s been too much consultation causing stasis for a long time. People were concerned with anti-social behavior but this is much better now.” She’s keen to emphasise that this is a multi-wheel arena. More forms of sports such as BMX, skaterboards, in-line skates can all make full use of the space. It is designed to be multi-ability, making it challenging for the experienced but also accessible to new-comers too.
All aboard?
It appears that the planning hurdles have now been cleared for the scheme to go ahead and Maverick Skateparks have been chosen to design and build the final setup.
If the crowdfunder is successful, it will clearly show that the community are behind a scheme that makes the area much more attractive to a demographic who are short-changed in the region. as the crowdfunder states: “This Crowdfunder will take us to a point where we can then ask local councils and major national funding bodies to ‘top-up’, our account”
“A whole generation of skaters has been lost”
Not just cash
Not everyone can afford to shell out for big projects but that’s not a barrier to getting involved, joining in or helping out. Helping with fundraising events or just spreading the word about the plan is all helpful acording to the organisers.
Check the Crowdfunding site here