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The Rewind Project Community Film Production Company |
SKATEBOARDERS and community leaders are calling for a new skate plaza to be built in a popular park.
Jim Breckenridge, owner of the WheelyBoard skate shop in Stevenage Indoor Market, and member of the Stevenage skate forum which includes borough council members, has collected a petition with over 2,000 signatures calling on the council to build a new skate plaza in Fairlands Valley Park.
The petition, signed by police officers, former mayor Simon Speller and three-time X Games world champion Danny Way, calls for a larger and more modern facility than is currently available at the Bowes Lyon and Peartree park skate parks in the town.
The skate forum argue that having such a facility would take skateboarders off the streets and prevent any need for proposed Acceptable Behaviour Contracts or ASBOs.
Mr Breckenridge, 43, said: "Football, cricket, tennis, basketball, rugby, squash and many other sports are all adequately supported in this town, but because some ignorant individuals in positions of power have not bothered to take the time to understand the extremely social, technical, dynamic and ever more popular sport of skateboarding they have branded it anti-social.
"Targeting skateboarders in Stevenage is not a crackdown on anti-social behaviour, it is further alienating a very social and approachable group of people of all ages who have been trying for years to get appropriate and modern facilities built in this town so that they do not have to skate the streets.
"The town needs a skate plaza and it needs it now. This will keep skaters out of the town centre. Everyone wins, so please open your eyes and ears and talk to these people - they are the ones who know what's needed. Stevenage has a long and proud skateboarding history - it should be allowed to continue."
A Stevenage Borough Council spokesman said: "Council officers work closely with members of the skate forum and we look forward to receiving the petition.
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