Start date go-ahead for Thame’s new skate park

THE young people of Thame who use the steadily crumbling skate park, are delighted and relieved after learning yesterday (Tuesday) that the town council is to seed fund a brand new, state-of-art skatepark, opening the door to work starting in August.

L to R: Olly Ross, Corin Rea & Harry King, present their case to Thame Town Council

A new design, suitable for all wheel-based sports, that will not rust or burn, will require very little maintenance and is guaranteed for 30 years, has already been chosen by the young people themselves. Supported by Thame Town Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, local police, Lea Park Residents Association and others, the skate park users themselves have been involved in the project from the start and have already raised around £6,000 towards the £250,000 costs of the project – including a sponsored marathon skateboard from Trafalgar Square to Thame.

After watching a video about why Thame needs a new skate park, and listening to an extremely compelling presentation by Olly Ross, Corin Rea & Harry King, Thame Town Council unanimously agreed to provide the £65,000 needed for construction work to begin. It is hoped that other funding will come from SODC’s Communities Capital Grant Scheme (formerly known as the Community Investment Fund or CIF) and possibly Sport England.

The town council was not able to agree at Tuesday’s meeting, to a proposal that it underwrote the cost of the whole project, should other funding not be forthcoming.

Support Thame Skate Park Tee shirts will be available to by at Sunday’s Music in the Park.