Kids in Bristol celebrate cash for skatepark

Youngsters in Bristol are celebrating after getting money to revamp their skate park.

 

The youths in Lawrence Weston are receiving a grant of £36,000 after successfully applying for government funding.  

 

L’Dub Race Club, which is made up of teenagers from the local area has been the force behind the project.

 

The skate ramp had been in need of updating after becoming worn out, and the BM track uneven.

 

The teenagers were awarded £16,000 from the Youth capital Fund, and a further £20,000 from Bristol City Council Parks fund.

 

Teenage club member Fred Banks, who was involved in application process said: “I have been with the group for about five years and we have had some great times here at the skate and BMX park. Our club has around 50 members, and all of us enjoy hanging out here. We are not the only ones that use this park though, there are between 100 and 200 regular users of this facility, even people from outside this area come here to practice as it is the only BMX track in Bristol.”

 

Senior Youth and Community Worker from Bristol City Council, Peter de Boer said:

 

‘We were very happy to help them with this. It gave them the chance to be directly involved in a regeneration project that will benefit a much wider community. They were very enthusiastic about it and put together all the necessary documents and funding applications themselves. We are glad that their bid has been approved by the funding panels.

 

“We have also put the contractor in direct contact with the young people. The young people are the experts, so they should be the first point of contact in redesigning the park. The new park will be built to a blueprint that is suggested by these young BMX riders themselves, to best meet their requirements.”

 

The revamp is expected to be completed by Easter, and will feature ‘Junior Section’ for the exclusive use of children under ten years old.