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A mobile park may improve behaviour
From the Gazette & Herald, first published Thursday 2nd Sep 2004.
GAZETTE & HERALD: A survey by Wiltshire County Council has shown the young people of Calne believe anti-social behaviour would be reduced if a mobile skate park visited the town.
The county council carried out the survey, funded by Calne Town Council and Calne Community Area Partnership, during the Calne Wheeled Sports Day in April when a mobile skate park visited the town.
Of the young people surveyed 77 per cent of BMX riders, 79 per cent of skateboarders and 73 per cent of inline skaters rated the facility as excellent or very good.
The survey also showed 43 per cent felt the biggest consequence would be a reduction in the amount of young people gathering by the library's steps, one of the key reasons the idea was thought up.
Coun Carol O'Gorman, the portfolio holder for youth opportunities and facilities at North Wiltshire District Council, said: "All of them said how good the facility was and in Devizes I had some professionals come from Salisbury and they couldn't believe how good it was.
"As a direct result of this consultation the district has ordered vertical rails, a fun box, a spine and a jump box, which the young people asked for. You can always add further equipment.
"It also showed that it was such a good success because there was a complete age group from under 12s to the over 20s showing it could facilitate everyone.
"To me it was the fact that the parents were there and they were delighted it was supervised and knew their children were practising their sport safely.
"The perception by a lot of adults is that this type of extreme sport goes hand in hand with anti-social behaviour, but these results show that these young people want to practise their sport."
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