£90,000 improvements at Honiton Skate-park

 £90,000 is to be spent on improvements to the skate park in Honiton after young people in East Devon voted for the project.

113 young people in the area voted for the new design for their skate park at  three voting events held by East Devon District Council (EDDC).

They got to vote on which one of four designs they wanted installed, the winner with 88% of all votes was Option D, a design from 1Skateparks. EDDC will now work with 1Skateparks to get this design installed and opened by early summer 2014.

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.

The Council and the young people from Honiton Youth Centre and Honiton Community College have been working together since July to design £90,000 of improvements to Honiton skate-park in Allhallows Field that skate park users have asked for.

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.

Cllr Iain Chubb, EDDC portfolio holder 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.”