Calls for extension to skateboard park

Residents in the town have expressed hopes that the controversial £120,000 skate bowl on Fleetwood promenade can be expanded into an actual skate park, with additional ramps instead of just the one bowl.

These hopes were echoed last year by Fleetwood’s Wyre Labour councillors, who stated their belief that the scheme was originally intended to be more extensive.

The amenity, on the edge of the town’s Marine Gardens was unveiled in the late summer of 2015 as part of the £1.5m Five For Fleetwood scheme, in which Wyre Council won funding for five seafront projects. But after the initial excitement over the skate bowl, dissatisfaction was expressed that there would be no extra features.

At the latest meeting of Fleetwood Town Council, campaigner William Hargreaves said he felt efforts to get the scheme expanded seemed to have been forgotten about

He said: “This skate facility is for the young people of Fleetwood but it has all gone quiet and nothing has been done. Why has the ball been dropped?

“We were told last year that this would be looked at but it has all gone quiet.

“The children of this town are not happy, they need an actual skate park.”

In May last year it appeared that there may be hope for expansion when Fleetwood Town Council helped set up a group called Team Fleetwood to allow the town’s major movers and shakers to work together for the good of the town.

The first item for discussion was the possible expansion of the skate bowl.

Bur Mr Hargreaves was told by Coun Terry Rogers, chairman of Fleetwood Town Council, that any activities on the skate bowl site could only take place after consent was given by land owner Wyre Council.

Mr Rogers said: “We are still waiting for the right answers from Wyre to our questions.

“We cannot apply for any funding to expand that scheme until we have found out about the land use from the owners of the site. “

Coun Pete Murphy, Wyre’s economic development portfolio holder, previously dealt with the skate park scheme.

He said: “Although I do not oversee this project now, since last May I have heard of no firm proposals regarding that site.

“If definite ideas and funding details are put forward I am sure they would be looked at.

“The bowl was designed and implemented after a full consultation – people did get what they asked for.”