Members of the ARECA association worked along side SERCO, CBC green spaces team also youths working towards their National Citizen Services Certificate. Between us as a team we managed to revamp some of the parks hedges and trees, benches and seating areas and some walls at the sharply road entrance making a bright and welcoming entrance view. The council also finding a little extra pot of money to give the children's play area a new tarmac cover with fun games activity markings.
Skate Park For The Young People
YOUNGSTERS DELIGHTED WITH SKATEPARK AS COMMUNITY HAVE THEIR OPENING
A skatepark that has been built this summer at Shortcliff Park on Loughborough Ashby Ward, has been proving a huge success amongst everyone especially for the young people concerned. And on Sunday 4th September the local residents, ARECA, and the Police celebrated with a Community opening of the skatepark.
Back in 2012, local councillor Dr. Julie Bradshaw MBE and resident of the Ward for over 28 years, was contacted by residents who were complaining about anti-social behaviour (ASB) around the shopping area both on Sharpley and Wordsworth Road. Local resident, Tracey Riley of ARECA (Ashby Road Estates Community Association) spoke with Cllr. Bradshaw about possible solutions; at the same time the young people also approached their local councillor, saying that young people had ‘nothing to do and nowhere to go’.
Cllr. Bradshaw immediately got in touch with Charnwood Borough Council and met with one of their officers. There then followed many months of meetings to which the young people attended at the Hut along with relevant partners such as the University, the Police, representatives of the local schools and the Council.
Craig Jordan, Chair of ARECA spoke of his delight saying, “The skatepark is being used by many young people and residents, even those who on the ward who overlook the Park are all very pleased at how it is being used.”
PC Emma Braby of Leicestershire Police also told the Echo of the positive attitude of the young people since the skatepark has been built. “We used to get called to endless incidents around the Wordsworth and Sharpley Road areas especially the shops on Loughborough Ashby Ward. There has been a decline in these calls and anti-social behaviour since the building of the skatepark which many young people are now using.”
Cllr. Julie Bradshaw was honoured to be asked by ARECA to cut the ribbon to mark the community opening on Sunday 4th September at Shortcliff Park. “I am just over the moon with the skatepark and how local residents and young people have been responding to it. Whilst it has been four years in the making, the hard work has all been worth it. Thank you to everyone who has supported myself and ARECA with this exciting project.”
Updated news on the Skatepark for Shortcliff Park project.
A meeting was held at the Ashby Road Estates Community Centre, we all know it and love it as the hut; with 3 companies pitching the design ideas and answering questions.
Thirteen local youths threw questions to the bidding companies and at the end of the day between the youths attending, council staff as well as our Ashby Ward Coun Dr Julie Bradshaw MBE and ARECA representative and chair of the centre Craig Jordan we all chose the winning design pitch marking on many aspects of the designs not only on design, but cost and environmental impact and of course the youths WOW factor.
The order has been placed and as yet no start date has been finalised.
Charnwood Borough Council and the Ashby Road Estates Community Association has secured £48,000 funding – including a £15,000 donation from Loughborough University - to possibly pay for the installation of a permanent skatepark.
Alison Barlow, Loughborough University’s senior public relations and community relations officer, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the creation of the skatepark through our Community Donations Fund programme.
“It is a great initiative developed within the community, for the community.”
The permanent skatepark would aim to encourage youngsters in the area to try new sports and give them a better place to socialise.
Coun David Snartt, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said: “The council is working really hard to provide facilities for younger people and if residents want a permanent skatepark then we have a plan in place to provide it
A pop-up skatepark was set up in Shortcliffe Park in Old Ashby Road, Loughborough, on May 31 to gauge residents' views on having a permanent one installed.
From left: Elliot Stock, aged 12, Brandon Porter, aged 13, Loughborough Ashby Ward Coun Dr Julie Bradshaw MBE, chair of the Ashby Road Estates Community Association Tracey Riley, Kasper Novks aged 12, and Ryan Porter, aged 14.
A POP-UP skatepark was installed at a park in Old Ashby Road in Loughborough on May 31 to gauge residents’ views on having one permanently set up. Charnwood Borough Council set up a mini-ramp and fly-offs at Shortcliffe Park, with BMXs, skateboards, helmets and pads available to hire.
Tracey Riley, chair of the Ashby Road Estates Community Association, told the Echo: “For a long time, young people have been saying that they have nowhere to go and we have a lot of problems with anti-social behaviour at the shops around here so we’re trying to find out if having a skatepark will benefit everyone.
“We will be asking young people and parents their views on whether this is what they want.”
Kasper Novks, aged 12, was one of those who had a go on the pop-up skatepark.
He said: “We usually go to Southfields Park but I live around here so it’s pretty far to go so I think it would be a really good idea if we had a permanent skatepark around here.”
We have managed to arrange a POP-UP Skatepark for you folks to come along and have some fun also get you interested in what we are working on regarding the skatepark on the Shortcliffee Park.
The Wheels Project offers a Mobile Skatepark facility to engage young people in a fun and healthy activity. The Mobile Skate Park comprises a set of street-course ramps, ideal for large numbers of skaters of all abilities, for indoor and outdoor use.
Skateboards, Rollerblades and BMX Bikes are most effective for use on the Skate Park. Helmets are compulsory for ALL users of the Skatepark, and they are provided as part of the hire.
I would also like to point out that there is going to be a disclaimer form as seen below you can get your parents to sign off on if you are under 16, and away you go.There will be people involved in the skatepark project so you can ask all the questions you wish and get the answers you need. We need your attendance and input at this event as your input is vital as this is your community and your children's activity area.
Come along and make a day of it folks, at the park the younger children can play on the younger children's play area while their older brothers & sisters can have a blast.
Young people who live locally have suggested that a good way to deal with some of the issues surrounding youngsters is to open a skate park. Shortcliffe Park is the best
A group of youngsters have spoken with their friends and asked them their views:
Here are just some of their comments. A skate park would mean the following to them
It’s easier and cheaper than using Southfields
It would be good to be able to go somewhere local without using buses
At the moment, we use the ramps near Sharpley Road shops and people say we cause a nuisance
We have nowhere safe to go – it would be good
We have little to do locally
We would have a regular place to go
It would keep us fitter
It would give us something to do which we like doing and it would help keep us out of trouble
It would help keep us away from people who might think we are always causing problems
It would help make other places better because we behave badly when we are on our scooters and skateboards.
It would increase trade at the shops as we would be using the skate park not the area at the shops
SKATE PARK CONSULTATION
A few months ago, residents on Ashby Ward approached their Borough Councillor, Julie Bradshaw about the problems of youngsters outside the shops using their bikes, scooters, and skateboards. This was causing a nuisance and a danger. Potentially someone could get knocked over, especially those with mobility problems. At the same time, youngsters also expressed their views that there was nowhere for them to go and ‘play’ safely and that they would very much like a skate park.
As a result, Julie met with local officers from Charnwood Borough Council, ARECA and the Police. From the initial discussion Shortcliffe Park was identified as the best place for a skate park to be built. The young people from local schools (Charnwood College) and all partners concerned have had several meetings and the next stage is the consultation with the residents and other young people in the area. This consultation take place during January 2014 and you are invited to make your comments by contacting the following:
ARECA (Tracey Riley/Craig Jordan) - Charnwood Borough Council
Borough Councillor - Julie Bradshaw cllr.julie.bradshaw@charnwood.gov.uk