A SKATE park that has been 20 years in the making has finally arrived in Ulverston.

A giant crane lowered the 15 sections of the pre-built mini ramp into position in Lightburn Park to the delight of the town’s skating and BMX community.

Several efforts to bring a skate facility to Ulverston have been derailed during the past two decades.

But yesterday’s installation of the £52,000 half-pipe was the culmination of a successful three-year fund-raising campaign by the Ulverston Skate and Bike Action Group.

USBAG leader, Tom Bowden, took up the campaign when he opened Working Class Heroes clothes shop in Market Street, Ulverston.

He described the skate park as a “long-term investment in sport and leisure” for Ulverston and said: “It’s going to make a lot of people happy and it’s for everyone – the Ulverston skaters, the BMX riders, the skaters from Greenodd, the surrounding villages and the chaps from Barrow. We’re a travelling breed.

“The lifespan is quite considerable. We’re looking at 20 to 25 years. So not only is it going to be of benefit for today’s skaters, it’s going to be there for those in the future.”

Mr Bowden said the ramp should be ready by next week, but asked skaters to resist riding it until the fencing has been taken down.

He has planned an official opening and “jam session” for June 13, where skaters of all abilities are invited to sample the ramp. There will also be music and a barbecue.

The ramp has been funded by donations from South Lakeland District Council, the Townland Trust, Ulverston Carnival Committee, a group of anonymous businessmen called the Curry Club and Cumbria County Council.

Mr Bowden says a new fund-raising drive will start shortly to add more elements to the ramp, which is already a standalone skate park in itself.

He said: “This is the start of Ulverston Skate Park. We have an area of land that’s 20m by 30m and the ramp is approximately 10m by 10m. So we have room to develop and put more skate equipment in and that’s what we plan to do in the forthcoming years.”

The facility is located in the centre of Lightburn Park, at least 50m from the nearest homes.