If the kids, Are united.................

[Guest guest]

See councils do sometimes listen to the kids.... The Valley Vegan.............. Park victory for skateboarders Skaters, bladers and BMX riders have campaigned for rampsSkateboarders have won a three year battle for proper ramps to be set up in their south Wales valleys' town Young skaters, bladers and BMX riders in Aberdare have been campaigning for a permanent facility

to be set up in the area. And, after three years, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is now in the process of finding a firm to build the ramps. The facility will be built at Sobell sports centre by the end of the spring. The campaign to build a skate park came about after a group of youngsters who were using the library steps in the town to practice their hobby were invited in by staff to set up a group. There is a heck of a lot of skaters and BMX riders in town - more so than any other valleys town John White John White, who works with the library, has worked with the youngsters on the campaign, named n3b. "They weren't doing any harm, it was just annoying some of the older people in the library," he said. "So we asked them to come in and worked with them." The group produced a DVD of skateboarding which was shown to an audience of 100 people and they also produced a newsletter about their need for proper skating ramps. The council agreed to build a skate park in the grounds of the local sports centre following the campaign. It will serve as the area's main skate park. Members of the n3b group have been consulted and helped design the new facility. Mr White said although the youngsters were frustrated at how long the process has taken, they are pleased that a skate park will be built soon. The skate park will be built in at the Michael Sobell Sports Centre "They deserve it and so does Aberdare," he said. "There is a heck of a lot of skaters and BMX riders in town - more so than any other valleys town. "There's a big tradition of it dating back to the '70s. "The campaign has been about people power and the youngsters have really driven it," he added. Members of n3b have welcomed the new skate park. Jade Marshall said: "We need one because all skaters can do is just hang around town. Aberdare is a small place. There's nowhere for us skaters to go.I think it is a really

good idea to have a local skate park in Aberdare, not just for me but for others as well," said Richard McCann. "Having a local park gives us a place to go because wherever we skate we always receive complaints from people." Peter H

 

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