Work starts on new skate park in south Shropshire
Volunteers both young and old have started work on building a new skate park in a south Shropshire town.
Project leader Tom Rochester hopes to have the facility built and ready to use in Church Stretton town park by the end of January next year.
Following donations from residents, local businesses and the town council, a group of volunteers were able to transport second-hand ramps from Woodside in Telford to the town park after they were donated by Telford & Wrekin Council.
A committee was joined by volunteers to wash and prepare the ramps before putting the frames together on Sunday.
Before being approved by Church Stretton Town Council, a petition in support of the scheme gained more than 395 signatures and a fundraiser has now reached nearly £6,000.
Tom, 36, from Church Stretton, said: "We've raised about £5,700 and spent a grand total of zero – which is amazing.
"Our young people need a good, outdoor community facility and the support at our big volunteer day on Sunday shows that.
"Everything's been pressure washed and then we started putting the frames together. The next step is to order the surfacing composite which will cost about £2,500, and we're hoping to start applying that this weekend."
Following a £500 donation from the town council towards the project, mayor Bob Welch visited the site on Sunday to see its progress.
Tom said the park could be ready in a matter of weeks, but delays in getting an inspection from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) due to the pandemic means it may not be ready until the end of January next year.
"At the moment the big delay is the RoSPA health & safety inspection," said Tom.
"We can't open the park until it's been given a certificate, but due to Covid there's suddenly a massive waiting list for this."
Tom added: "We've got quite a lot of space down there to develop the park, and we currently have a committee of six people to manage it for the next two-to-three years.
"A massive shout-out must go to everyone that's donated and helped us so far, including Strettonia Boxing Club; Shropshire Country Brides; Jacob UK; Central Garage; Britpart; Edge Renewables; the town council and all the residents who have reached out and thrown £100 at it."
