The Parish Council in a Cambridgeshire village where Bar Hill Skatepark once stood have got some explaining to do. Back in November they wanted to tear down the park due to some of it being damaged/unsafe, while Police reports also highlighted “issues of vandalism and anti-social behaviour at the site, which it would not condone in the village. It said ramps were being broken into and used as cover for anti-social, illegal and unwanted activities.”
Seriously, tell me more about criminals in a village breaking into ramps! LOL
Due to the support received by the locals, the Council then decided to simply remove a selection of damaged boards instead of destroying the whole park. They hired a team of morons with zero clue about the construction of a skatepark to come down with a ‘digger’ to remove said boards, thus destroying the entire park. Apparently the inexperienced hired hands felt that the park was in such poor condition they couldn’t simply remove a selection of boards, but instead drive a digger right through the place like a nine year old playing GTA5.
Here’s some points for the ever so important people at the Parish Council to consider-
• The skatepark has stood for 12 years, at what point did you not feel it necessary to maintain the place, thus preventing it falling into disrepair? The price to pay a qualified joiner to visit the park once a month, over a 12 year period would be cheaper than having the park demolished and rebuilt. Along with keeping your now tarnished public image in tact.
• When you ask a firm to demolish a skatepark, under the guise of replacing a few boards, do tell them to at least bring realistic tools to the job. Turning up in a digger only makes people think you’re lying.
• As the police seem so keen to uphold law and order at Bar Hill skatepark, will they investigate the latest, and by far greatest anti-social crime to take place there? Will the Parish Council and their dopey henchmen be questioned about criminal damage caused?
• So, what are you going to do about it? All eyes are on the council who demolished a skatepark when they said they wouldn’t.
Hit up the SAVE BAR HILL SKATEPARK page on Facebook and show those locals some support. Also, a message to the locals and the council, feel free to hit us up if you need any help, advice and support with your new skatepark project (which I’m sure you’re all now diligently working on). We don’t want anything like this happening in the wake if the recent ill thought out move.
UPDATE – Joiner visits site to assess the damage.
“With nearly 20 years working as a Carpenter and Joiner, coupled with extensive experience of outdoor structures, I visited what is left of the park and seeing the devastation first hand, I would like to share a few observations and queries around the supposed mis-communications in connection with the PC’s instructions…. of which I must say I am very sceptical about. Just how genuine are the parish council claims concerning the safety of the skate park and how qualified are the contractors at non destructive dismantling of outdoor structures? I observed that the frames for the ramps were laid on bearers and not in contact with the ground. The bearers themselves, were pressure treated for outdoor use and showed no signs of rot at all! Understandably, these should be reviewed every ten years but I observed that they were still in very good condition. I noted some of the plywood cladding could have needed replacing. Although, if the Parish Council’s true intentions were to repair and make good, they would have instructed to contractor to remove to boards with the appropriate equipment. NOT by using a mechanical digger!! This damage has clearly incurred more costs than it would have taken to renovate and repair! I would imagine there will be a direct chain of accountability for those responsible for the ‘error’ and that financial reimbursement will be sought. Also, did a parish councillor attend the site the day of the destruction and if not, why not and if so, were they not alarmed by the digger! I would also be interested to find out why Tesco’s appear to have been very silent about the park. I understand they donated funds towards the park initially a number of years ago. Do they have the land earmarked for themselves? It is also my understanding that Tesco were keen to be part of the initial skate park project because of people skating outside their stores. I am unaware of major antisocial behaviour on the park as claimed in the article, but if the park is not renovated surely this would encourage skaters to resume skating using self built ramps, closer to residential and commercial properties with higher risk of accidents? As a parent myself I would rather know my child was using safe equipment and was aware of their whereabouts rather than putting themselves at risk. With youth provision and community resources disappearing at a staggering rate, I sincerely hope this is an attempt at building better facilities and not just the removal of an excellent park and community resource. Besides shouldn’t people be participating in physical exercise and not be forced into their homes to sit and play on games consoles?” – Pully Puleston
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