LETTER: Clear vision for town’s skate park

In a letter under the heading ‘Let’s hope for common sense’ [County Times June 20] Mike Reed stipulated a number of conditions which a skateboard site needed and concluded in favour of the Steyning Leisure Centre site since the Memorial Playing Field met none of his requirements. He did not mention any of the conditions which I give below as the ‘vision’ for our skatepark.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Jun 2013, 09:00 BST
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The parish council vision for Steyning’s skateboard installation is that it should be an area which attracts boarders, BMX bikers, scooters and even skaters accommodating all ages with a size to allow simultaneous use by more than one kind of user.

It should be an open area adjacent to other facilities so that families with children of different ages can enjoy other activities at the same time on play equipment or in a game of football or cricket or tennis or whatever.

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It should be something which can be enjoyed casually without opening a fence or making a booking.

Most importantly it should have space around it for running off the surface; for resting without obstructing others; for parents to watch over their youngest and for spectators to admire the skills.

The installation as proposed by the Friends and supported by Mike is shoe-horned into the leisure centre car park area with a fence to the edge of the concrete surface, and outside the fence, where non-skater friends would like to be, there are parked cars. It is not an installation which can deliver what is wanted.

Perhaps more space could be negotiated? See the objections [Horsham District Council Planning reference DC/13/0903] of the school, of the landowner, and of the leisure centre management and appreciate what a foolish wish it is to have a skatepark at the leisure centre site.

MARTIN TOOMEY

Steyning Parish Council member, Jarvis Lane, Steyning