Skate ramp ruled out for Hotham

Hopes of a skate ramp inside the only park in Bognor Regis have been ruled out. More than 50 young people signed a petition requesting the leisure facility be sited in the area of Hotham Park.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Nov 2007, 09:03 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 19:10 BST

Work has just begun on the 2.2m renovation of the valued green space. The extensive scheme has been ten years in the planning. The youngsters wanted it to include a site for them to indulge one of their favourite pastimes. The petition was presented to the council by one of the town centre police community support officers Jan Williams.

It was discussed at last week'smeeting of Arun District Council's Hotham Park working party.

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Members agreed that the historic park was an unsuitable site for a skate park.

However, they asked the council's decision-making cabinet to consider at its meeting next Monday passing the matter of a new town centre leisure facility to the appropriate section of the council to consider. Council head of parks and greenspaces Philippa Dart said the petition concerned the idea of a skatepark rather than any firm plans.

'This is just the early stage of the scheme. The suggestion is that the young people would seek to raise funds.

'A former two times BMX world champion Carlo Griggs is ready to help them,' she explained. An alternative to placing the skate site inside the park was to use the adjacent London Road parking area. Hotham Park Heritage Trust member Rosemary Warren told the meeting the trust's 100-plus members did not want a skate park there.

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She commented: 'We are totally against having any form of skate ramp in the park. It's a very noisy occupation using one of the ramps.'

Cllr Jacqueline Maconachie (Aldwick West) said the prime concern had to be the policing of a skate park within the park. 'From the very early days we have been talking about the restoration, one of our top concerns has been the security of the park.'

Cllr Paul Wells (Bognor Hotham) said the issue of a skate park should be considered for the area.

'There is a need for the provision for young people around there. This is a good idea but we need to wait to see what happens in the park or at an alternative site,' he said.

But he added that the parking areas would be too small to host a skateboard site.

Related topics:Work