State-of-the-art £120,000 skate park opens in March

sarah.cliss@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 10:10, 16 December 2019

Young people in March have received an early Christmas present – with the official openinof the town’s new state-of-the-art skate park.

The £120,000 facility is already proving to be a huge success, with skateboarders, BMXers and scooter enthusiasts flocking to West End Park to test it out.

Local scooter rider Ben Davies said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. There are people from surrounding villages coming to use it, and even people from Peterborough and King’s Lynn because of how good it is.”

The new state-of-the-art skatepark has opened in West End Park, March.Celebrating the opening are, from left, Simon Bell, FDC’s Leisure and Open spaces contract manager; Mayor of March Cllr Rob Skoulding; skateboarder Ben Davies; Cllr Jan French, deputy leader of FDC and district and town councillor; Cllr Peter Murphy, FDC’s portfolio holder for the environment; Kevin Wilkins, FDC’s horticultural officer; Phil Hughes, FDC’s head of leisure services; and Jayne Manders from Young People March. (24368798)

The skate park has been built to attract wheeled sports users of all ages, with sections for both beginners and more advanced riders. The free-form concrete construction is more than twice the size of the old metal frame skate park it replaced, and boasts ramps, pipes, handrails, stairs and much more.

The skate park was made possible thanks to £90,000 of funding from Fenland District Council and a £30,000 grant from the Amey Community Fund.

A stakeholder group with March Town Council and Young People March were key in getting the project moving and gathering community feedback to shape the final design. Over 450 comments were received in the space of just two weeks during public consultation.

The new state-of-the-art skatepark has opened in West End Park, March. (24368809)

Councillor Peter Murphy, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “It’s great to see this fantastic new facility now in use, replacing the old skate park which was over 15 years old.

“It’s a wonderful addition to West End Park and will provide young people with the opportunity for exercise, fun and the ability to hone their skills for years to come. It also demonstrates the council’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality outdoor equipment for

all sections of our community.”

Councillor Jan French, Fenland council's deputy leader and town councillor for March West, said: “The old skate park was really well used, but it was often crowded and younger ones weren’t always able to use it. Now it has a lot more space and there is something for everyone.

“We’re sure it will attract lots of people from March and surrounding areas, adding yet another reason to visit our brilliant town.”

Politics Sarah Cliss