Comments on: Calls go out for skate park

By: Bnax

Bnax — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:20:10 +0000

Ditto everything that has been said. Let it be said. To help progress things and make the process of information giving easier we have created a web site (blog) for everyone to look at. You can find it at – http://wewantaskatepark.blogspot.com/

You can also email us at wewantaskatepark@gmail.com

Thanks.

By: bobby

bobby — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:28:57 +0000

I agree with everyone here. You only have to look at smaller scale parks like Maples Street to see the massive positive impact of a skatepark on an area and the kids who live there. If a skate facility was to be built on the Forest site the benefits would be spread that much further, to kids from all around Nottingham and beyond. Scotland is full of amazing large-scale concrete skate parks as the powers that be have realised the benefits of such facilities. (i.e giving young people a sense of purpose, somewhere safe to socialise, reducing drink and drug use, reducing crime, as well as reducing skateboarding in inner city public spaces.) It seems that England is following suit (Skegness, Stoke, Middlesbrough etc) but Nottingham is a bit behind. A decent sized skatepark on the forest site could only be a good thing

By: dave bevan

dave bevan — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:24:33 +0000

as a skateboarder and youthworker who works in the radford/hyson green areas of the city, please let me voice my opinions on the need of a skatepark on the forest rec.
I help run weekly skate sessions with the local young folk at Maples St. skatepark, Hyson Green and we allways have more people attend than the park can hold…the sessions are a huge success in that area and have provided a whole neighbourhood of kids with a safe place to have fun, learn, stay fit as well as providing a safe and constructive environment and cultural group for an otherwise often neglected portion of our community.
Another such facility (only bigger & better!) at the Forest would definatly have a similar effect (only bigger & better!) and cater for a whole new grounp of young people desperately in need of such constructive and positive influence in their days.

Dave Bevan – Nottingham Youth Inclusion Project,

By: David Squires

David Squires — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:01:59 +0000

It would be hard for any commentator to ignore the benefits of having such a positive recreational facility in such close proximity, to a 3 schools/colleges, access to public transport links and a large local community (larger wider community if you also consider trams links) that would otherwise have little or no access to free sporting facilities particularly in the realm of alternative sports.

In an age where fast food, computer games and involvement in crime are blighting the futures of our youth, I would hope that the opportunity to support a scheme for all ages within our community such as this, would be grasped.

By: Mike Wright

Mike Wright — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:56:47 +0000

Like all of the individuals above, I’d like to add my name to the growing list of people who’d love to see a world class skatepark on the Forest Rec ground. Nottingham has been at the forefront of British skateboarding for decades, but is sorely missing a GREAT skatepark.

In the current media frenzy over obese children and social exclusion a skatepark offers something to kids that might be excluded from more traditional sports. The council should be looking to push forwards any developments that might help with these situations.

By: Kingfast

Kingfast — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:48:49 +0000

I have heard there is a request for a SKATEPARK/PLAZA to be built at the Forest recreation ground in Nottingham. I can only say about time! I have been a skateboarder for many years, I live in Skegness and used to travel to Nottingham every weekend to skate as a youth, now it seems most the legal facilities are no more due to rising housing demands etc. I have had a great deal of involvement and am a trustee of the recent indoor out door skate park at Skegness I can only say that from our park begin built to now (only two years down the line) even people who were against the project in the beginning are now fully supportive having seen the vast difference it has made to our town and its youth, not only this it also brings in revenue from out of town visitors. In short people can’t blame kids for miss behaving when they have nothing to keep them occupied and not all kid are interested in football, rock climbing, Hockey etc. Nottingham plays a big part in the UK skate scene and with no real facility that alone proves how how passionate they are about their sport.

By: tompain

tompain — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:48:17 +0000

Ive heard that there is the possibility of a skatepark being built in the city centre, im just emailing to show my support for the said project. I believe that this is a great idea, as there seems to be a lack of decent facilities for skateboards/bmxers/inliners in the Nottingham area compared to other citys with good facilites such as Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Skegness etc.
The best way to provide these facilites would be either through a large outdoor concrete skatepark or an indoor facility. With myself being a skateboarder and local to the Nottingham area, i can see that there is a high demand for a facility like this. If the skatepark is of a high enough quality, people will be willing to travel from outside of Nottingham to come and use the skatepark.
I believe that the skatepark would make a great addition to the city, and will help keep the users fit and healthy.

Thanks for taking your time to read this,

By: Peeps

Peeps — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:47:51 +0000

Hello

I would like to show my support for the plans of a Concrete Skatepark facility in Nottingham City centre. I have always felt that Nottingham has been quite a way behind other cities in providing areas for growing popular sports such as Skateboarding and BMX, At this time, it is a perfect opportunity for Nottingham to put itself on the map and join the likes of many town and cities across the Midlands who have provided great facilities for these sports. Britain and the skatepark industry are now in a position to be able to create fantastic facilities that compare to World renowned skateparks and the geographical position of Nottingham we could/should have an outstanding facility to reflect the outstanding amount of youth interested in these sports.

Cheers

By: Ben Powell

Ben Powell — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:47:22 +0000

I’m just emailing as I’ve heard on the grapevine that there is talk of a skate/BMX/blading facility being constructed on the Goose Fair site.
I’d like to add my voice to the no doubt numerous others saying that Nottingham desperately needs a large-scale city centre facility to cater to its residents, especially seeing as how skateboarding is now banned from the city centre.
Other, much smaller cities in close proximity (Burton-onTrent, Stoke-on-Trent, Skegness, etc, etc) all have outstanding facilities that cater to hundreds of local users as well as bringing outsiders into the cities mentioned.
It’s lamentable that a city as large as Nottingham is so far behind the rest of the country.
Yours faithfully,

By: Gawkrodger

Gawkrodger — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:46:38 +0000

Dear Sir/Madam

I am emailing yourselves in support of the call for a public skatepark in the Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham. Well designed concrete skateparks promote dedication and social responsibilty amoung the users of the skatepark, as well as keeping people fit and providing a creative outlet for young people. Concrete skateparks are cost effective recieving high footfall (often greater than more traditional sports facilities) with relatively low maintanence costs, as well as being quiet. Councils in the West Midlands, such as Sandwell MBC, Wolverhampton City Council and Hereford Council have all recently acknowledged the benefits of well designed public skateparks and commissioned large-scale parks.

A public skatepark of similar high quality would be a fantastic addition to the fabric of Nottingham City life.