TAVISTOCK?s long-awaited skatepark is tantalisingly close to completion ? with a big grand opening pencilled in for mid September. The park, in Bensons Meadow, has been in the pipeline for several years, thanks to the hard work of youth group Taviskate, with help and support from West Devon and Tavistock town councils, plus other agencies. In addition to the super-smooth skating surface, the park will provide a medium-sized street skate set-up, including a range of different sized ramps. Richard Porter, chairman of Taviskate, said the park was long overdue ? but it was ?great? that the new facility was now finally nearly finished. He said: ?Hopefully, it should be ready in a couple of weeks time. ?It?s getting there slowly but surely, but it certainly should be done for the grand opening, which we are hopefully doing jointly with the new youth café ? we?ve been working quite closely with them.? The skatepark scheme has been project-managed by Tavistock Town Council, which has provided the land, financial support and some of the labour required to construct the park. Town clerk Roger Howard said: ?We?re just waiting for Steeltech to finish their metal-bashing, then we have the top layer of tarmac to put down, the last bits of fencing and some signs and it?s ready to be open.? Cllr Mandy Govier, West Devon Borough Council member with responsibility for youth issues, said: ?I know the young people are really looking forward to the park opening ? they have worked so hard over the last four years. ?Like the youth café, it?s a project that has really been pushed through by the youngsters, which I think is very good news.? Cllr Govier paid tribute to Tavistock Town Council, which had been ?absolutely fantastic? in its support of the project ? and to West Devon Community Safety Partnership, which had contributed ?substantial? funding towards the scheme. Cllr Peter Hill, chairman of the community safety partnership, said: ?I must say, we were most impressed with the young team who put together the business plan for this project. Obviously, they had guidance from adults, but they really made the running themselves and they have done exceedingly well ? it was their enthusiasm that captured us and the realisation you need to give young people something to do to keep them out of trouble.? Cllr Hill said he hoped the skatepark would be well used and encourage youngsters to use its facilities, rather than using their skates in ?inappropriate? areas. ?I think the project has really shown what youngsters can do if they put their mind to it ? if they hadn?t persisted, it would never have happened,? said Cllr Hill. l Taviskate still needs to find funds to finish the project properly. Anyone who would like to support this worthwhile scheme should call Richard Porter on 07880 946633.
