Controversial skate park opens (From Free Press Series)

Controversial skate park opens

THE CONTROVERSIAL skateboard park in Chepstow has opened and is already being well used - but this hasn't stopped the protesters.

During the recent Easter holiday youngsters from around the region had hours of fun on the new facility.

But some ardent protesters, who fought hard to stop the park coming in to their area are monitoring the skate park, and say the area has already come under attack from graffiti artists.

Town councillor Phil Hobson was among the protesters who spent a night at the site before the skate park was built - in order to prevent the work being carried out.

He says he is now monitoring the positive and negative behaviour of the park's users to get a balanced view on the situation.

He said: "It is early days, the skateboard park isn't really the problem, its the location, and what it attracts.

"At the moment it is being well used, but I still believe it is not in a suitable area, I have not moved from that opinion. It was once a peaceful and tranquil road, now it is not.

"I have been out with the police because of complaints. We have seen council officials and gone to the police, but there doesn't seem to be any communication with the police and council."

Cllr Hobson says one of his main concerns are the crowds that gather around the skate park, and the level of noise created by there voices, climing it is inttrusive to people living close to the park.

He also is concerned about the skateboarders who use the main road on Bulwark to ride their skateboards.

"Only recently I nearly knocked some one over when they appeared out in front of my car and didn't see me."

Cllr Hobson plans to take the results of his monitoring of the skate park to the police, council and managment committee to see what positive steps can be made for all concerned.

He said: "It is a fact of life, the park is there and dispite the fact we were all against it, it is not going to close over night. A lot of money was spent to create this park.

"But any problems that arise I will take to the police, council and management committee. At the end of the day it will be a lot easier for them to fill it back up than it was to build it in the first place. I want the least disruption to people's lives."