Skatepark open
Yarragon’s youth gave its new skate park the thumbs up during an official opening celebration on Saturday afternoon.
With 87 per cent of Yarragon’s primary school aged students owning a scooter or skateboard, young people were out in force to showcase all the latest tricks at the Yarragon Skate Park.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing joined Baw Baw Shire councillors and Yarragon community members at the official opening in Howard Park. She said the skate park was made possible thanks to a $221,250 grant from the Andrews Labor Government.
“Skate parks, just like the brand-new facility in Yarragon, make a massive difference to young people and to the vibrancy of local communities,” said Ms Shing.
“This new local park provides a great place for skaters of all ages and abilities to come together, share their skills and make new friends, and comes more than a decade after Yarragon skaters and their families first proposed it.
“It’s been a huge honour to help Yarragon to secure this funding and we are determined to continue investing in infrastructure just like this so that more communities across the Latrobe Valley region can reach their full potential as our population grows.”
The facility features a quarter-pipe, china bank, volcano, rails, ramps, banks, bowls and more, providing an ideal space for local events, competitions, practice and play.
Thanking project partners Baw Baw Shire Council and Yarragon Skate Park Committee for their efforts to rally strong local support, Ms Shing said the new skate park was a massive boost to the town’s youth who will no longer have to travel long distances like Trafalgar or Warragul to find a safe place to skate.
She added skate parks were an integral part of today’s youth culture and provided a safe place for young people to connect, while also promoting active lifestyles.
This is just one of the many projects backed by the Latrobe Valley Authority’s Community Facility Fund which supports community-led initiatives and projects that help make the region a great place to live and work, she added.