Narre Warren skateboarder Allan Bogut and Travis Adams from Berwick gather with some locals to push council to develop a top class skate park at Buchanan Park in Berwick as part of the Buchanan Park Draft Masterplan which is now on public exhibition.29782 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Kelly Yates
SKATEBOARDERS are being forced out of Casey due to a lack of top-class skate parks.
Berwick skateboarder Travis Adams told the News that local skaters were travelling as far as Geelong to use some of the state’s most popular skate facilities.
Mr Adams said the proposed Berwick skate park, which is set to be included in the Buchanan Park Draft Masterplan, needed to be of a high standard or council would be simply wasting their money.
Council officers have started commencing the planning and design of the skate facility with Convic Design, one of the country’s top skate park designers.
The council received a $60,000 grant from Sport and Recreation Victoria towards the $200,000 project.
Mr Adams said it was a step in the right direction that the council was working with Convic Design.
“The council will be in good hands if they go down the right track with them as they are known for designing good parks,” he said. “The City of Casey seem to build small gesture skate parks all the time but we need a decent one, in a good location, which features a variety of different obstacles for skaters.”
Council’s Skate Strategy, which was adopted in 2007, identified the need for a sub-regional skate park in Berwick as the number one priority due to the high demand and current lack of facilities.
Mr Adams, 24, said the local skateboarders were constantly hounded by negative comments from the community.
“We’re a misunderstood bunch,” he said. “Most people think we’re skate rats who are a bad influence, taking drugs and tagging graffiti over the municipality. But we’re not,” Mr Adams said.
Narre Warren skater Allan Bogut, who is currently ranked third in Australia for his age group, said a quality skate park would attract top skaters to Casey.
“We also have the talent here but not the facilities to cater for it,” the 17-year-old said.
Buchannen Park was identified as the most suitable site in the area as it was close to Monash University, Chisholm Institute of TAFE and the Berwick train station.
According to council officers, it was also an appealing location to the skaters as of the close proximity to the existing food and drink providers.
In February 2007, Monash University expressed interest to work alongside the council to develop the master plan for the reserve, in line with the university’s proposed master plan for the Berwick campus.
The draft master plan shows the skate facility located close to Clyde Road, in the north east section of the reserve, resulting in one of the three playgrounds being relocated.
Council officers said that three established trees would also be relocated to another location within the park, providing ample space for the skate facility.
The community can provide feedback on the Buchanan Park Draft Master Plan during the public exhibition period until Friday 8 May by visiting the City of Casey customer service centres in Narre Warren, Narre Warren South and Cranbourne or logging onto the City of Casey website www.casey.vic.gov.au.
The Buchanan Park Draft Masterplan has been designed by Rush-Wright Associates.
After the public exhibition period council officers will prepare a report for council’s consideration and following adoption of the plan, works can commence.
