Wendover Skatepark Build Begins – What to Expect

Dear Resident,

You will know that Wendover Parish Council has been looking to build a skate park in response to the local need among young people for places to meet, exercise and be creative. We are now in a position where construction will be starting next week.

Site mobilisation is scheduled to begin on Tuesday 27th May. This will involve setting up the site compound, including fencing and welfare units. We anticipate that excavation work will commence the following week, marking the start of an estimated 8–10 week construction period. Access will be required through the front gate of the park throughout this time. The skatepark is being built on a concrete “raft” which requires some, but minimal, digging and all soil will be used to shore up around the edges of the ramps, reducing any spaces where graffiti may occur. The highest ramp is just over a metre, so it will fit easily into the landscape. The skate park is being constructed with a treated concrete that provides a low-noise surface and will be unlike the noisy wood and metal skating areas we have had previously in this park.

During the construction there will be a fenced-off compound with a digger and dumper, towards the rear of the park alongside the zip wire. All traffic in and out will be guided by a banksman and will be driving at a walking pace so the construction in the park and use of the park by residents should be able to co-exist. The fairground in early June will also be able to exist around the construction site.

Whilst “Skatepark” indicates that it will primarily be for skateboarding, it will in fact be designed to be suitable for all wheeled sports, such as scootering, biking and rollerblading. Through careful design, the skatepark will also be suitable for all ages and abilities, offering access to users with many different physical needs. This will further expand the participation and likely users of the facility. We are already hoping to use the facility for formal training and taster sessions in conjunction with local organisations such as the Youth Centre.

We are well aware, as an organisation working for the Wendover Community, of the strength of local feeling about the skatepark. It is important to note that we have learnt the lessons of past failings and engaged extensively with young people about what will help them feel valued in the community and reduce the relatively high current levels of ASB and vandalism in the whole village. Historically, skateboarding has frequently been considered an anti-social activity, associated with graffiti and other negative behaviours. Modern skateboarding is very far removed from that now, especially after the huge interest in the Olympics, starting in 2021 in Tokyo and continuing to date.

The outdated perception is that skateboarding has a narrow demographic of users, which again leads to assumptions about antisocial behaviour. We are hoping this space becomes a space owned by the young people for positive behaviours, as other skateparks have successfully demonstrated around the local area. However, an increasing number of older generations of skateboarder are either rediscovering the sport or taking it up for the first time, and this means children are frequently accompanied by parents. In turn, this has led to skateparks becoming much more ‘self-policed’ and instances of anti-social behaviour dramatically reducing.

We feel it is important to recognise that the atmosphere of a skatepark now is far different to that of 20–30 years ago, and many are friendly, family-oriented and inclusive sport facilities. By locating the skatepark in Ashbrook Park, this will follow the Police recommendations to improve lines of sight over our previous skateparks. It will incorporate the facility into the family-focused play areas, whilst being a distinct area in itself.

Details about the design and construction of the skatepark can be found at https://www.wendover-pc.gov.uk/projects

If you have any other questions, then please contact the office on 01296 623056 or email clerk@wendover-pc.gov.uk

Kind regards,

Andy Smith

Clerk and RFOo.b.o Wendover Parish Council