New skate park is 'dangerous' claim (From Stroud News and Journal)

New skate park is 'dangerous' claim

A SKATE park provided by a Stroud residents group has been labelled a death trap by the youngsters it was designed for.

The Mason Road skate park at the top of town came under fire this week from 17-year-old skater Tom Wakefield, who claimed it was dangerous and consultation had been ignored.

"They've managed to create things that are so dangerous to use we can't even contemplate using them," claimed Mr Wakefield.

"The rails are too flimsy, they're not set into the ground properly and they move when you jump onto them," he told the SNJ.

"And the ramps are made of metal rather than plywood which means as soon as there is the slightest hint of moisture in the air they become really slippery and are much harder if you fall on them. "They are galvanised metal and really scary. They are a death trap."

But Mick Jones, a spokesman for the Top of Town Community Association (TOTCA), said members had worked long and hard for the facility and had paid close attention to what the young people wanted.

He added that the community association had gone above and beyond the call of duty in trying to provide facilities for young people in the area, winning a massive Lottery grant to pay for improvements to the playing fields.

"We do our best, we can't do anymore than that," he said. "We do things for them up here and they're still not happy. We put a lot of work into getting this."

He said the association was aware of one or two teething problems with the equipment but the company which had installed it was coming back to sort them out.

The Top of Town youth had been consulted on the facilities, he said, and TOTCA had gone with what the majority wanted, within the restraints of the Lottery grant.