Leaders push for skate park

Community leaders are pushing for more facilities for young people in the Christchurch suburb of Papanui.

A skate park is one idea mooted by the Papanui-Innes Community Board, but it also wants other recreational facilities to be considered.

Christchurch City Council’s Papanui ward councillor, Mike Davidson, said the skate park project came from a meeting with a group of young people from Te Ora Hou tautahi, a community youth development agency based in Papanui.

‘‘Both Papanui and Redwood are missing a good outdoor youth recreational facility and potentially we may need to look at two facilities in the Papanui ward.’’

Davidson said it was important young people were consulted with to find out exactly what they wanted.

‘‘Maybe instead of a skate park, a basketball court would be more desirable, perhaps both or something totally different.’’

Davidson said getting the site selection right was critical to ensure the facility worked for the whole community.

A council staff report on a skate park in the Papanui ward identified six parks – Owen Mitchell Park, Bridgewater Drainage Reserve, Craighead Reserve, Edgar MacIntosh Park, Papanui Domain and Redwood Park – that could possibly be suitable for a skate park.

More investigation work would have to be done on those sites, which would only happen if funding was approved, the report said.

Four sites had been ruled out, including Murchison and St James parks, and Rutland and Styx River reserves. Another 20 parks were deemed too small.

Staff estimate a skate park would cost about $360,000 including site investigation, consultation, consents and construction.

Two skate parks are being built in Halswell and another is planned for the bays area between Sumner and Ferrymead.