Browse > Home / News / Troubled skatepark worries council

Troubled skatepark worries council

Posted on October 28, 2008, 5:05pm

Mount Gambier City Council members have aired their frustration over the continued vandalism at Dimjalla Skatepark, with some councillors wanting to know what it would cost to shift the facility.

While council has made no decision on the embattled facility, councillors were told that it would cost more than $220,000 to shift the skatepark to another location.

At council’s recent meeting, Cr Byron Harfield asked what the “pay out” cost would be if council walked away from the troubled site.

Council leases the facility from Heritage Industries, which is the owner of the land.

Meanwhile, Cr Daniel McDonough claimed skateparks were important for the city’s youth.

“We receive constant feedback that we don’t provide enough activities for our youth,” Cr McDonough said.

He claimed the skatepark on Port MacDonnell’s foreshore was a good example of a skatepark.

“Every day when the sunshine is out, you can see youths using it — there is very little trouble at the site,” Cr McDonough said.

He claimed council needed to undertake some forward thinking on the matter.

The councillor also argued council should consider putting money aside in future budgets for a new skatepark.

“It is much easier to put money in four budgets, than to find $220,000 in one,” Cr McDonough said.

Council has been forced to lock the toilet facilities at the skatepark because of continued vandalism.

Tags: ,  

Comments

2 Responses to “Troubled skatepark worries council”

  1. H on October 28th, 2008 8:23 pm 1

    What is the council doing for young people? I’ve worked with a few councils in Adelaide that had active approaches to working with young people, actually valuing their ideas and being proactive..

    But I’ve come back here after a few years, and am yet to hear anything positive..

    Is it time for change?

  2. Maybe on October 30th, 2008 1:42 pm 2

    I agree H. Adelaide has their skatepark in the middle of the city. Full of colourful graffitti art done by youths, and the youths feel like it’s theirs and they take good care of it. It’s easy to get to and in full view of people, not hidden away on some almost-out-of-town soon-to-be-toilet-less lot.

    Way to go council. I’m always a half glass full kind of girl, but I fail to see the positives when it comes to how youths are handled in Mount Gambier.