New Warwick skate park plans starting to come together
The group, Save our Skate Park, spent about five years planning and building the new skate park in Victoria Park in Leamington.
The new facility, which was officially opened in November 2016 replaced the former ramp which was removed for health and safety reasons in 2011.
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Hide AdSOS (Save Our Skatepark), which is led by skater Alex Walker, spent years campaigning for the skate park in Leamington and shortly after it was completed they turned their attention to bringing a similar facility to Warwick.
There is currently a skate park in Warwick located at St Nicholas Park but this will be removed ahead of the 2nd Warwick Sea Scouts building their new headquarters on the site.
SOS are intending to create a new bespoke skate park that would still be on St Nicholas Park.
Alex, who is also a youth worker for the Warwickshire association of youth clubs, said: “We are currently fundraising to build the skate park after we gained permission in principle from Warwick District Council.
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Hide Ad“In a meeting, when we were in the process of creating Victoria Park, there was a discussion about relocating the old ramps in St Nicholas Park to another site with £50,000 and we suggested that they could just get something better with the £50,000 and scrap the old stuff.”
Warwick District Council has allocated a site for the new facility in Warwick that is 100 metres by 15 metres and it is set to go alongside the current bike track in St Nicholas Park.
Alex said: “We were originally looking at £200,000 for the new facility but after speaking to builders and looking at the area we now need £300,000.
“We are in the process of applying for grants, we have gained a grant of £1,000 from Warwick Town Council and we should have a minimum of £50,000 match funded from Warwick District Council. We will also apply to Heritage Lottery Fund and other organisations.
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Hide Ad“We are looking at something twice the length and width of what is at Victoria Park subject to planning. We are looking at a large bowl with a 4ft and 7ft area and a fully bespoke street plaza with elements of park and real urban terrain.
“There would be a rideable barrier between the pumptrack and the skate park to not encroach on the existing dirt track.”
Skateboarding is set to feature in the 2020 Olympics and it is hoped that the district’s new skate parks will play their part.
Alex continued: “We hope for it to be built by 2019 and my aim is for this to be something that can be used in summer 2020 to showcase the level of talent in this area and those Olympic hopefuls.”
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Hide AdOnce the SOS group secure funding for the skate park the plans will then go through the council’s planning process.
Alex said: “We would be more than happy to hear from anyone who has any fears, concerns or if they want to get involved, support the group or have ideas for funding. We are a community group about supporting the community.”
Anyone who would like to get in touch with Save our Skatepark (SOS) can email: [email protected].