Skateboarders left in the lurch

The skaters say they are not demanding a great deal, just a place in the town where they can indulge their passion for the sport in safety. A number of youngsters attended Ilkley Parish Council's open meeting to express their frustration at the lack of progress being made on the issue.

Parish councillors, inititially happy for a section of the Memorial Gardens to be used for skating and skateboarding, have cooled their enthusiasm for this site.

Nearby residents have expressed objections about the noise skaters would make. Others are unhappy that a memorial garden would be used for such an activity. Bradford Council has rejected the idea of the Memorial Gardens as a location, urging parish councillors to 'think again.'

One of those unhappy at the lack of movement is skater Sam Borrett. He praised the adults who spoke up in favour of the skaters at the meeting, but expressed dismay at certain attitudes in the town.

"I have seen a lot of negative and closed minds on this issue," he said. "Skating is a positive, healthy and enjoyable thing to do," he said. He said skaters were just looking for some support. Not all youngsters spent their leisure time drinking and taking drugs.

He said the town should embrace an opportunity to provide youngsters with facilities. Another member of the skating community present at the meeting said the skaters were happy to discuss possible sites.

The meeting was told an area as small as 30 feet by 20 feet would suffice - enough space for a u-shaped ramp (known as a half pipe). It could be put together at very little cost.

Ilkley resident Frazer Irwin said the provision of skating facilities for youngsters would have made an ideal millennium project. Mr Irwin said the west end of the Riverside Gardens would have made an ideal spot - close to an hotel, access to emergency telephones and access for cars and ambulances, in case of emergency.

He said Ilkley should take a look down the road at Otley where plans were moving very swiftly to create skating facilities. "Residents have given money, I believe Yorkshire Television is involved as well."

Mr Irwin said the people of Otley were going 'hammer and tongs' to find their youngsters an area to skate, and if Ilkley wanted to enter the next millennium as a 'complete' community it should do something for its youngsters now.

The skaters received further support from Ilkley resident and teacher, John Anderson. Describing himself as a 'born again skateboarder' he said: "We should be encouraging youngsters to take part in a healthy activity rather than a couch mentality."

He said Ilkley had tremendous civic pride, quoting the Ilkley in Bloom team, various exhibitions and the Ilkley Literature Festival. He said the town should now look to cater for a younger section of its community.

He said: "I hope this meeting and the council will do whatever it can to pursue this in a positive light."

A variety of potential locations for skating facilities were put forward - including East Holmes Field, an area by the swimming baths and a strip of land by Ashlands. All present agreed it had to be a spot which was away from a residential area and allowed for some adult supervision.

The chairman of Ilkley Parish Council, Coun Alec Henderson (Con, Ben Rhydding) said it was important to establish skating would not be a 'seven day wonder'.

One young skater denied this was the case. "People have quit skating because there isn't a park not because there is one," he said.

He said: "The difficulty is a getting a place that will satisfy everyone's desire and need." He added any skating scheme would have to have community backing and be community led.

Coun Henderson urged all interested parties to make a list of their preferred site (or sites) for facilities and submit them to Ilkley Parish Council at Ilkley Town Hall.

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