Following the lead from some youngsters on Croftlands who have decided that they want to design and build their own skateboarding equipment, I incorporated their ideas into my door-to-door survey of the residents of the area.
Having completed a circuit of all the houses that surround the playing field off Central drive I found that the vast majority want to encourage the young people's initiative and favour a simple skateboard facility to be located in the middle of the playing field at a point away from all the houses. Some are keen to support the youngsters financially where required.
I therefore went in search of free wood.
This I found at a building site which offered six pallets, numerous sheets of coated 'allweather' chipboard, and four bags of offcuts of various sizes. Another skip in town offered a large sheet of blockboard and one pallet.
Within five minutes of taking delivery of the wood they were off!
They chose two pallets, most of the chipboard and some of the offcuts.
The next stage is to buy some angle iron to enable them to 'grind' on the corners of the boxes they construct.
It will be fascinating to see what happens next!
I plan to extend this concept to kids and their communities in other parts of the town. I seek to offer the facility of wood supply, storage, expertise in construction, supply of pre-drilled angle iron and ideas to any communities with a group of youngsters in Ulverston who are interested.
The summer holidays, what's left of them, will provide a great opportunity to get numerous groups of kids around the town designing and making their own equipment.
With the support and encouragement (non-financial) given by Tom at Working Class Heroes we hope that at last Ulverston kids will be given the opportunity to take a greater part in skateboarding.
The way is open for a great cooperation between the various communities, the politicians, the police and young people to pursue an activity which will boost teenagers' feelings of self-esteem, as they take note of the needs of others and in return enjoy the encouragements of the adults living around them.
Anyone wishing to get involved is welcome. They could help in many ways by providing :
1. ideas of where to find spare wood
2. a place where these 'Grind Boxes' can be made
3. expertise to help (but not take over !) in the designing and making
4. provide contact and mutual respect and encouragement between the kids and the community they live in.
If this sounds 'up your street' you are welcome to contact Geoff Dellow by email or phone - gd at tygh.co.uk or 480347
2 comments:
I think you need to talk to the people involved in the last wooden skateboard facility adventure. As soon as it rains, the facility becomes slippery and deteriorats rapidly. Fine if the skateboarders are going to put their creations away every time it rains!
Many thanks for your comment.
We have moved on to making portable 'Grind boxes' with an angle iron top edge so that they are about 3x2 or 4x2 feet and can be stashed away under cover when not in use. The larger structures in parks are made of smooth concrete again with a steel edge.
An excellent facility has been constructed at Victoria Park Barrow, thanks to the initiative of Richard Hennah,
Standards & Facilities Manager,
Community Services,
Barrow Borough Council.
Ulverston is awaiting its turn, pushed along by Tom Bowden of Working Class Heroes.
Sadly the Town Council have show very little support except for Colin Williams.
SLDC have some catching up to do with Barrow who are leading the way on risk taking with the Health and Safety issue.
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