$60k for skate park
New Plymouth skaters, BMX riders and rollerbladers are a $60,000 step closer to being able to carry on into the night.
The New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) awarded the money in its Long Term Plan to the East End Skate Park Committee’ $100,000 lighting scheme.
The committee still needs to raise another $40,000 before the work can begin, but one of its members, Councillor Shaun Biesiek, said it is hoped the money will come from grants and more fundraisers.
A number of organisations had offered to financially commit to the proposal if the council did, he added.
‘‘The park’s good, it gets kids outside,’’ Biesiek said. ‘‘But that’s restricted by daylight savings really.’’
At the moment the park can only be used until around 6pm when the sun sets.
The lights will most likely be on a timer, will only work until around 10pm so they don’t disturb neighbouring properties, and will be positioned so they won’t have to be moved when the park is expanded.
The installation of the lights is only part of a larger proposal to expand the coastal skate park, which was last upgraded 10 years ago.
The East End Skate Park Committee held a series of workshops to find out what its users wanted to see.
The results involved a beginners’ skating area, sailshaped awnings offering shade, with the aim of allowing allseason skating, and a bigger area for all users to enjoy.
In March it was estimated the entire project would cost up to $210,000 after the committee decided on a range of things the park needed and architects drew up designs.
Biesiek said he did not skate himself but joked he might have to give it a go when the beginners’ area was installed.
‘‘That would be the first extension I’d like to see done,’’ he said.