Skatepark debate (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Skatepark debate

8:34am Friday 17th March 2006 in Devizes By Jill Crooks

DEVIZES Town Council will decide at a meeting on Tuesday (March 21) whether to carry on looking for a permanent site for a skateboard park or abandon the plan.

The town has been without a permanent skate park for four years when the town council lost a county court case brought by Hillworth Road resident Bill Richardson.

A judge agreed with Mr Richardson that the noise from the town council's skate park in Hillworth Park was a nuisance and ordered the removal of the equipment.

The town council has searched for other sites since but has found none suitable.

The town council signed up to a mobile skate park project, organised by North Wiltshire District Council, but the plug was pulled on it last year due to staffing problems.

The town council has got £20,000 earmarked for a new skate park and the equipment from Hillworth Park is in storage.

But at the meeting of the town council's recreation and properties committee on Tuesday councillors will be asked to decide whether or not the town council should continue to look for a permanent site.

The meeting, at the town hall in St John's Street, Devizes, is open to the public and follows a full town council meeting starting at 7.15pm and a planning meeting.