Opening event for Honiton skate park

The new and improved £90,000 Honiton skate park will be officially opened on 2 September.

East Devon District Council have been working with young people at Honiton Community College and Honiton Youth Centre to design and choose improvements that the young people wanted.

The official opening event will be at the skate park between 2pm and 4pm on Tuesday 2 September. As well as a chance to have a go on the new skate park there will be:

• BMX, scooter and skateboarding competitions with prizes sponsored by Maverick Industries
• Music provided by Otter Windows
• Free circus skills
• Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service are bringing their driving simulator (age restricted to 16+)
• Ice creams for sale

The £90,000 has come from EDDC’s main budget and is being spent on Honiton skate park as it was judged to be the most in need of improvements in the district with many of the ramps at the very end of their life.

EDDC worked with Honiton Community College and Honiton Youth Centre to find out what improvements the young people would spend the money on. It was identified that the users wanted a concrete skate park with ramps poured on site. They requested a half-pipe facing the other way to what it does now, a quarter pipe linked well to the half pipe, a grind rail and a spine.

The young peoples specifications were sent off to several skate park companies who have all come back to EDDC with their interpretations of what the young people asked for. The skate park users got to vote on which one of the designs they want installed.

The numbers voting was impressive, with young people voting at three separate events. They got to vote on which one of three designs they wanted installed, the winner with 58% of all votes was Option B, a design from Maverick Industries. EDDC worked with Maverick to get the winning design installed.

Cllr Iain Chubb, EDDC cabinet member for environment said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for young people to decide how money is spent on their skate park. I am very pleased that the Council was able to find the money to make the much need refurbishments and then we made a commitment to work with the young people that use it to make it happen. Skate parks become a great place for young people to gather and show their skills off. It also appeals to age groups from 4 to 40 so we are pleased to support this great sporting activity! Thank you to Honiton Community College and Honiton Young Peoples Centre for getting involved. I am really looking forward to seeing the finished result”.