Skatepark work back under way after delays
Work has resumed on the long-awaited $160,000 lighting project at New Plymouth’s East End Skatepark.
First mooted in April 2017, as a way to deter vandalism and allow skaters to use it more, the lights were meant to be installed by Christmas that year.
Since then there have been a number of delays – the most recent attributed to the coronavirus lockdown.
Work to install lighting at the park, near the Coastal Walkway and the beach, was under way last month but the move to alert level four lockdown saw it come to a halt.
However, with the country’s move into level three this week, work has started again to trim the trees and install poles for the lighting.
The lights will be activated by a button, which will turn them on until they slowly fade off after an hour. They will also shut off automatically by 9.30pm during the week, and 10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Councillor Stacey Hitchcock said all going well the project will be completed by June 19.
There is also planning in the wings for stage two, but while the vision and plans are in place, it is a matter of working out funding, Hitchcock said.
The changes have been driven by the Taranaki Skateboarding Association and the riders themselves, she said.
It is great to see the project’s progress and ‘‘our skaters will be able to skate a little bit later this winter’’, Hitchcock said.
Meanwhile, early discussions are also under way on upgrading the skatepark at Waitara’s Marine Park, councillor Tony Bedford said.
Residents see Marine Park as the jewel in Waitara’s crown and discussions have been held about a plan for the whole area, which will be put out to the public for feedback, Bedford said.