This is the second successive year that Newbury Town Council has secured funding through central Government’s Playbuilder scheme. In 2009 the Town Council developed new and improved play areas at Bodin Gardens, Digby Road and Christie Heights which are well used. There have been delays in agreeing Playbuilder funding for 2010 whilst waiting for the outcome of the Government’s spending review. We are pleased to confirm that the Government has agreed to support some Playbuilder budgets and Newbury Town Council has received confirmation that a total of £127,000 of Playbuilder funding has been secured for the following schemes: Cromwell Road – play area (Partly supported by Thames Valley Police) Fifth Road Recreation Ground – play area (Wholly funded by Playbuilder) Victoria Park – Skatepark (Part contribution)
The new concrete skatepark in Victoria Park is partly funded by Greenham Common Trust and developer contributions (S106 monies). The new innovative state of the art facility will provide the opportunity to hold local and national competitions and will attract users from miles around. It fully meets the needs of skateboarders, BMX and scooter riders, catering for all age groups and skills.
Councillor Ifor Sheldon, Leader of the Council, said, “Newbury Town Council is committed to supporting improvements and creation of new play areas in Newbury. We are very pleased to receive Playbuilder support for proposed new playgrounds in Cromwell Road and Fifth Road residential areas as well as a new concrete skatepark in Victoria Park.”
Councillor Julian Swift-Hook added “The reinstatement of the Playbuilder funding will allow us to redirect funds to other much-needed improvements to Victoria Park playground at the same time. This is fantastic news and a win-win situation for the town”.
If you had children that were into this sort of thing I suspect you would feel different ! Teenage boys are seriously under catered for around here. Would you prefer them to roam the street ?
What a joke. A massive facility for a handful of people. The playground facilities in the park should have been updated first!
Quoted from 26
Stupid waste of money for a tiny minority.
It's not a handful just see on a nice day the number of young people giving it their all and having fun. I suspect this will be an item of pride for the teenagers. Perhaps you would rather they roamed the streets and ripped off your door mirror.
All the moans about kids on street corners, obese kids etc., etc., then the council gives them somewhere to go, somewhere to use the spent up energy and lose weight and what do we do... moan.
This facility will attract families from miles around. The kids get to play, the parents use Park Way and the other shops in town, including the pubs and restaurants. This increases footfall, footfall encourages shops into the town. More shops in town equals more jobs. Cannot remember the last time I said this, but well done to the council.
All the moans about kids on street corners, obese kids etc., etc., then the council gives them somewhere to go, somewhere to use the spent up energy and lose weight and what do we do... moan.
This facility will attract families from miles around. The kids get to play, the parents use Park Way and the other shops in town, including the pubs and restaurants. This increases footfall, footfall encourages shops into the town. More shops in town equals more jobs. Cannot remember the last time I said this, but well done to the council.
To paraphrase a popular saying. you can't please some of the people any of the time.
This looks like a welcome addition to the park and has already been pointed out caters for an often forgotten group.
User 23 couldn't agree with you more in this instance - but you appear to have said something entirely different on the thread - new skatepark - please clarify ?
User 23 couldn't agree with you more in this instance - but you appear to have said something entirely different on the thread - new skatepark - please clarify ?
User 23 couldn't agree with you more in this instance - but you appear to have said something entirely different on the thread - new skatepark - please clarify ?
He is suggesting that brian is being hypocritical; user23.3 is being ironic.
I'm currently neutral on the idea. The scale of the thing took me by surprise. I think its ability to 'create' jobs and for kids to 'lose weight' is possibly a bit over blown, but for those that like to skate, it will be a welcoming sight I would imagine. Lets hope the big kids don't hog all the best bits and bully the younger ones.
Lets hope the big kids don't hog all the best bits and bully the younger ones.
It seems to run OK now so I don't see any problems with a new construction doing the same job. The only difference may be that this will be a top of the range facility and will probbably attract users skateborders and bmx riders from miles around. I'm sure that a group will be formed from the serious users to look after the day to day running.
It seems to run OK now so I don't see any problems with a new construction doing the same job. The only difference may be that this will be a top of the range facility and will probbably attract users skateborders and bmx riders from miles around. I'm sure that a group will be formed from the serious users to look after the day to day running.
May be, but I have heard unsubstantiated complaints in that regard. Also, it might get too busy as it were.
May be, but I have heard unsubstantiated complaints in that regard. Also, it might get too busy as it were.
I took my lad and 3 mates to Corby which is massive. I must confess I was dreading it for these very reasons. It did get very busy mid afternoon, but they all just queued and took their turn without question and cheered one and other too. A lot of the older users helped the younger ones and gave them tips, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Having said that, I understand there is a small contingent of Newbury lads who dislike Thatcham lads in "their" park...... Bit like this forum really
I cannot read the dimensions, but tho I am in favour in principle is it high enough? serious skateboarders need at least 6m to get the momentum for doing their stunts. Could we have a elevation picture and an indication of how it will look as seen from the existing footpath?
You say that like it's a bad thing. Boards like this perform a vital social function in letting us middle aged males (and, let's be honest, with few exceptions most posters are middle aged/late middle aged males) get things off our chests.
Essentially you'll find that things in Newbury can be split into two categories here on numpty.net:
1. things that happen now, which are without exception a. the fault of the council and b. shite
or
2. things that happened when we were young enough to maintain an erection. These things were invariably wonderful and nothing to do with the council. (There may be some correlation between erection maintenance and our view of the world, but that would require further research).
Am I allowed to say 'erection'? I expect so, we're all grown ups.
I cannot read the dimensions, but tho I am in favour in principle is it high enough? serious skateboarders need at least 6m to get the momentum for doing their stunts. Could we have a elevation picture and an indication of how it will look as seen from the existing footpath?
He is suggesting that brian is being hypocritical; user23.3 is being ironic.
I'm currently neutral on the idea. The scale of the thing took me by surprise. I think its ability to 'create' jobs and for kids to 'lose weight' is possibly a bit over blown, but for those that like to skate, it will be a welcoming sight I would imagine. Lets hope the big kids don't hog all the best bits and bully the younger ones.
GC - lets remember that the google earth snap is just a bit of cut & paste. I doubt it is to an accurate scale.
Your yellow line is too long then. If the current area is 30m give or take & the new 46m, then it is only just over a quarter extra in length at each end.
I think you seriously under-estimate the potential of this facility !
No not really, I visit the park regularly with my daughters and the amount of people on the skate area is far far lower compared to the amount of children using the playground facilities. My view is that the money should be spent on the playground first. The current playground is ancient and is desperately in need of a refurb. A decent plaground would definately bring far more families in to the park/town.
Your yellow line is too long then. If the current area is 30m give or take & the new 46m, then it is only just over a quarter extra in length at each end.
The difference between 30 and 46 is about 50%. The yellow line is roughly 50% longer than the current site (if anything, the yellow line might be too short). So it is about right. In any case, the figures speak for themselves. The new site is 50% longer and wider, which means it is about three times the area of the old one.
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