New skate park officially opened

Bradley Stoke’s new skate park was officially opened by Mayor Roger Avenin on Saturday 23rd April.

The new concrete park, in the grounds of Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre, was commissioned by the town council at a cost now approaching £300,000. It is a replacement for a much smaller skate park on the same site that had reached the end of its life and was proving costly to maintain.

Following a brief ribbon cutting ceremony, a four hour programme of entertainment got under way, with BMX, scooter and skateboard demonstrations by expert riders, ‘jams’ and free sessions (where everyone could ride the park).

Further entertainment was provided around the newly-installed converted shipping container, which can be used as a social space when a youth worker is present at the park.

Addressing a recent meeting of the town council, youth development and participation worker Graham Baker reported:

“Since opening, we have received a significant number of compliments about the design of the park, including feedback from skate park designers who work for other companies. It seems that the design has fulfilled our key criteria of being appealing to all skate park disciplines, accessible to beginners and challenging for experienced riders. The park is proving to be a busy and extremely popular resource used by a wide age range.”

A minor problem of grit blowing into the park when it is very windy has been experienced, but it is hoped that this issue will lessen as the surrounding landscaping evolves. Several young people/users have been provided with a range of cleaning materials, brooms, squeegees, etc. and regularly clean the park.

Mr Baker added that he is hoping to form a “friends of” skate park group involving young people, council officers, councillors and other interested people.

Related link: Bradley Stoke Skatepark on Facebook

This article originally appeared in the May 2016 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.