June 9, 2009
Tenders will be called next week for works that will upgrade the Tamworth skate park and give it some more fancy jumps and more room for young riders to sharpen their skills.
Detailed designs have been completed after a lengthy consultation to come up with a concept that suits the kids and young people who use the park but fits the budget and site as well.
Project manager Gary Johnson from Tamworth Regional Council says tenders for the work will be advertised next week and he hopes work will start early next month. The project is due to be completed in September in line with the Federal Government’s demands under the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. The skate park is one of 21 projects Tamworth Regional Council has won funding for under the stimulus package.
The designs will effectively almost double the size of the park space and provide four main ramps – a jump box, spine ramp, quarter-pipe and sub-box – to the existing skateboard jumps.
The ramps will provide more BMX freestyle jumps and meet a demand that often sees more than 70% of riders on bikes or scooters rather than using skateboards.
They’re all jumps/ramps that will provide variety for riders, but more importantly stretch the interest and give some dedicated ramps for the BMX riders.
The design has been put together after a series of talks with young users in tandem with a forum hosted by the Tamworth Youthie and also takes into account some representations by young BMX club riders and other young people about what was needed to keep it relevant.
Mr Johnson says $100,000 has been set aside for the project, including putting in the concrete pad and steel ramps but also installing some traffic bollards to stop vehicles encroaching on the skate green space on the corner of Darling St and Peel St.
The layout is very much the work of what came from the users, who said they needed more sophisticated jumps to help them improve and develop their skills, particularly if they wanted to pursue competition sports.
User surveys have shown that hundreds of young people use the skate park, most of them aged from about 10 to their early 20’s.