By Karen Poh
JAI Wilson and his friends will be able to save themselves a train ticket to the city with the opening of two new skate parks in Brimbank.
The Robert Bruce Reserve Skate Park was officially opened by Brimbank mayor Margaret Giudice last Saturday.
The skate park has been designed for beginners through to intermediate-level skaters, with different obstacles and varying heights to develop skill levels.
Key features include 400 metres of skate area, a double bowl to suit skate, BMX and inline skaters, and the incorporation of street elements such as a “ledge”, “bank” and “kickers”.
The Talintyre Reserve Skate Park in Sunshine West will open on Saturday 14 July.
YMCA Brimbank Youth Services’ recreation co-ordinator Alana Chantry was pleased by the news.
It wasn’t something that had come easy, she said.
Brimbank City Council had originally planned for seven skate parks in the municipality, but was forced to drop all but two “due to residents voting against it”, Ms Chantry said.
“And during the building of the skate parks, residents rallied against it even though (construction of) the park was midway,” she said.
In April this year, concerned residents who feared that the area around the skate park site at Talintyre Reserve was becoming a beacon for anti-social activity, alerted Star, reporting regular sightings of gangs of youths fighting, drinking and abusing the construction area.
Plans for the skate parks were suspended as a result, but extensive meetings held with the Brimbank City Council, young leaders and staff from Brimbank Youth Services, as well as a petition signed by Brimbank youths, helped turn the situation around, Ms Chantry said.
“The young people are happy to be able to say this is something they have fought for and now can call their own,” she said.
“Brimbank is such a big area with 42,000 to 44,000 young people aged between 12 to 17,” she said.
“There’s always been a skate and BMX culture in the area but no facilities, except for one in St Albans.
“It gives the young people something to do and it keeps them out of trouble.”
Jai, 15, is part of Brimbank Bank Youth Services’ holiday program.
The young leader from West Sunshine said he picked up skating two years ago.
“I’ve been catching a train to the city with my friends to use the Riverslide skate park there,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s good,” said Jai, about the new Sunshine West skate park.
“I now just need to go down the road.”
