DREAMS of a $400,000 skate park near West Footscray station are a step closer to reality after Maribyrnong council gave the go-ahead for detailed design work on the plan.
The push for the skate park has been driven by a trio of young West Footscray skaters frustrated at the lack of youth-friendly activities in the area.
Strummer Cullip Bartlett, Jasper Lear and Ignatz Cady-Freer were commended at last week’s community and services committee meeting for their hard work in collecting 165 signatures for a petition and dedication to the cause.
A report to the meeting included the first comprehensive rethink of skate and BMX facilities in the area in more than a decade.
Mayor Catherine Cumming said the review highlighted the inadequacy of existing skate park offerings. The review considered 15 sites and identified three high-priority projects, noting Maribyrnong’s only dedicated skate park, in Yarraville, failed to meet demand.
The top priority was the creation of a $400,000 skate/youth plaza at West Footscray station, followed by extension of the Johnson Reserve skate zone in West Footscray and repairs to the Yarraville skate park.
Cr Michael Clarke said Maribyrnong was defying the national trend by becoming a ‘younger’ rather than ‘older’ city. “We have got to make sure our young people have something to do,” he said.
The council has allocated $45,000 for designing the West Footscray station skate park and Johnson Reserve extension.
The station project will require VicTrack and Metro Trains approval.
