Joy as South Arm gets skate park

A BURST of applause erupted in the packed public gallery of Clarence City Council after it voted in favour of building a skate park as part of its South Arm Oval development.

It’s been about four years since Sam Barwick, then 11, was told off for skating around the streets of South Arm.

Although upset, Sam decided to channel his frustration into change and wrote a letter to the council calling for a skate park to be built in the area.

In 2015, the Barwick family built a small skate ramp in their backyard but received an anonymous, threatening letter with the handwritten words: “Get rid of the skate ramp or it WILL be torched’’.

Yesterday, Sam, his brother Will and friend Liam Meagher were at the council meeting and spoke to aldermen, encouraging them to vote in favour of the skate park costed at $227,000.

A jubilant Will, 19, told the Mercury it had been a long and at times arduous journey.

“There were times when it came crashing down and we could have given up,” he said.

“It will mean a safe environment in the local area where all the kids, not just us, but future generations to come. They will be off the roads and streets.”

Will said the skate park would not have happened without the support of Crime Stoppers Tasmania, the South Arm Peninsula Residents Association and Jimmy’s Skate and Street.

The South Arm Oval master plan includes the development of a skate park, a multiuse area including basketball facilities, a hitting wall for tennis, a play space for all ages plus native planting and extra seating.

Out of the 137 submissions received for the plan, 72 were against the proposed development and 65 were in support.

The submissions against were mainly concerned about noise and anti-social behaviour at the park. A new design for a smaller skate park further away from nearby homes was implemented, but some residents remain concerned.