Skatepark on its way

Echo

2 August 2007

A £280,000 skatepark will finally be built on Leigh Marshes after more than seven years of wrangling.

The project is set to go ahead following the award of £150,000 from the national lottery.

Leigh Town Council has also signalled its commitment to the skatepark by agreeing to borrow £80,000 from its budget for renovating Strand Wharf in Leigh Old Town.

Councillor Bill Abbott said he was pleased the skatepark would finally be built as the town council had been pressing for a community youth facility in Leigh for more than seven years.

He said: "We've always said we have got to do something for the kids around the town and they've always said they've got nowhere to go, no bit of space they can call their own.

"There aren't many open spaces in Leigh and behind the station is a place far enough away for young people to feel they are not on top of everybody else and everybody else to feel they are not on top of them.

"There used to be a skatepark there called Rampage, which was successful in terms of the number of people going to it. We are hoping if we put in a nice facility people will go back to skate."

If the town council decides to revamp Strand Wharf with new paving and lighting, the town council's portion of council tax may have to increase in the future.

However, Peter Dolby, chairman of the town council, said this was unlikely to happen in the near future.

The Strand Wharf scheme is caught up in delays because of negotiations with a neighbouring landowner.