Worthing dad leads way on Homefield skate park improvements
W43097H11 WH SKATEPARK GT 25.10.11. Homefield Park skate park ..... Ross Malyon and Curtis ..... W43097H11.
HOMEFIELD Park is set for a skating event and potential renovation after a Worthing father has voiced his concerns to Worthing Council.
Ross Malyon, 49, of Loxwood Avenue, went to the council after he felt Homefield Park was too anti-social to take his eight-year-old son skateboarding.
Since Ross raised the issue with the council, £550 has now been set aside by the Worthing County Local Committee to fund the “Skate Park Lark”, a “skate-jam” aimed to initiate discussions with local skaters on what they would like to see from Homefield skate park.
During the event, there will be skating and BMX demonstrations, with advice on skating and health on offer.
Bikers will be able to bring along any problems they may have with their bike to a “bike doctor”.
Ross, who is also a keen skateboarder, has been taking son Curtis to skateparks in Shoreham and Crawley because he feels it is unsafe to visit the skate park at Homefield.
“Whenever I take my son there, there are a lot of older kids, sometimes not even there to skate, who are swearing and smoking, and sometimes smoking cannabis,” said Ross. “It feels threatening and I don’t want to take my son there.”
He added: “Other skate parks feel far more welcoming, even in their appearance. I just feel so much could be done with Homefield Park. The fencing around it makes it feel like a prison.”
Meetings are being held to discuss the future of the park.
With the formation of an action group, ideas which have been introduced include replacing the existing fencing, installing lighting and CCTV, remodelling the skatepark and a new children’s play area.
Tom Wye, cabinet member for health, safety and well-being, said: “Park users have indicated that they would like improvements at Homefield Park but we need to be sure that whatever happens is done with the buy-in of the local community.
“This event also has the added benefit of bringing residents together to use the skate park responsibly and in a way that allows everyone – both young and old – to get involved.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
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THE FAT BANANA
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 07:29 AMBring back the OLD SKOOL when skateboaders were skateboaders and were hated by every OAP in town,Worthing library walls,the Prom,home made ramps during the winter in the Paddling pool, Salvington Hill for down hill speed runs,Teville Gate carpark and The Guildbourne Centre when it rained and on the school holidays bunking the trains to get to The Barn(Southwicke)or The Cage(Brighton)being moved on by the local Cunstables when we found a new spot..Lots of Partying Lots of everything smoking,drinking and living life on the edge,those where days when kids were kids and we did what we liked and we didn,t give a dam about the law,and all it was then was a clip around the ear and of you went to skate somewhere else...I THOUGH SMOKING WEED AND DOING SOME PARTY DRUGS WAS PART OF THE EXTREME SPORTS SCENE..
frankly
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:43 AMNo skateboard at Homefield Park in my day,but what a wonderful facility to be laid on for the youngsters of today, Such a shame there are those abusing this and other facilities here. If we cant have Mr Collins the one armed Park Keeper of my younger days back, perhaps there is a need for CCTV?. I agree with shazam, the high cage like fencing needs to go.PS Anybody know where "Roxwood Ave is?
shazam
Monday, October 31, 2011 at 01:15 PMGreat stuff, more power to Mr, Malyon. Homefield park is a great resource & a lovely open space, but the skate park is fenced in like a borstal, although it's always packed with kids & as far as I can see, they're usually using it to do jumps & tricks. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone & ask the council to arrest the decline in the children's playground at the other end of the park. Vandalised equipment has been removed and not replaced. Graffiti is everywhere & a lick of paint or two would be very welcome indeed. The council has done wonders with the playground at Goring seafront - how about a little of the same for us guys at the other end of town?
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