I'm not entirely sure about the graffiti idea, but thats not the important part.

Click 'read more' for the article published by the Southend Standard.

Southend Standard
By Laura Smith
Originally Published: Friday 26th October 2007

TEENAGERS have been brainstorming ideas for the new £280,000 skatepark at Leigh Marshes.

The Connexions youth service in the town has been holding weekly meetings to ensure the development will meet youngsters' needs when it opens next year.

The skatepark will finally go ahead, thanks to a £150,000 lottery grant, which will top up the £130,000 promised by Leigh Town Council.

A football pitch, basketball nets and a shelter are to be included in the scheme, but it has yet to be decided what materials should be used, or how the park should look.

Lee Kelsey, 17, said Connexions had been looking at the best material for the skateboard ramps - concrete seemed the best bet.

The group also had to decide how the ramps would be laid out to give skaters the best ride, he added. Connexions also hoped to be able to set up separate beginners' and advanced areas.
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Lee, of Cavendish Gardens, Westcliff, stressed the new skatepark was badly needed, especially by younger skaters.

A lack of places for young people to go in Southend meant they were being pushed out of Chalkwell Park by older kids sitting on ramps in the park.

He said: "You get an older lot, ones who want to fight. They get out of hand and spoil it for the rest of us. That's why we want to find new areas to go."
"Skateparks look better with graffiti over them. If it is bare concrete, it will look lame and horrible. You need graffiti to liven it up. People have done murals for 9/11 and stuff to say just because something bad’s happened it doesn’t mean you can’t keep your hopes up."
Billy Hannan, 15

The new skatepark will also aim to pass on positive messages to teenagers, through graffiti slogans such as "Respect life, not a knife".

Billy Hannan, 15, of Kingswood Close, Leigh, said graffiti was a way of getting constructive messages across.

He said: "Skateparks look better with graffiti over them. If it is bare concrete, it will look lame and horrible. You need graffiti to liven it up.

"People have done murals for 9/11 and stuff to say just because something bad's happened it doesn't mean you can't keep your hopes up."

The teenagers are now in the process of applying for an extra £20,000 from the Government's Fix-It programme for the project.

At the end of November, companies hoping to win the skatepark contract will be showing their proposals to youngsters.

Youth worker Martijin Van Gogh, explained: "It's good to ask young people what they think. The plans will start off in the youth centre and then go around schools and libraries.

"Young people will be able to tick boxes to say which design they want."

Teenagers are also invited to contact Connexions with ideas for the skatepark, by calling 01702 478426, or e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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