YO dudes! It was all happening in Tavistock on Saturday with live bands and pro skaters celebrating the long awaited opening of the town?s new skatepark and youth café. There were prizes to be won, including a BMX frame donated by Dartmoor Cycles, and delicious local food on offer too. The open day began at noon and the Youth Café was officially opened at 1pm with the Taviskate project opening half an hour later at 1.30pm. The live bands, all local groups, played throughout the afternoon. There was a pro skater demonstration followed by a free skate with prizes. professional BMX riders were also on hand. Both projects have taken some time to pull together but each has been driven by the young people who wanted them. Three years ago a local survey of young people in the Tavistock College area revealed that both the facilities were at the top of their wish list. Tavistock and District Youth Council has been the driving force behind the Youth Café. Costing around £100,000, it is housed in a double sized purpose built portable cabin at Pixon Lane and is kitted out with a range of equipment including a coffee bar, computers with internet access and a pool table. It is open 16 hours a week and is run by a manager and volunteers. Starting from scratch, they have worked alongside a range of organisations including the Police, Fire Service, Churches and Councils and have managed to secure funding from many different trusts and charities. David Johnson, Chairman of the Youth Council, said: ?We are thrilled with the new café. ?Everybody has worked so hard and we would like to thank all those organisations who have helped us along the way. ?This is a brilliant new resource for the young people of the Tavistock area.?
