New £220k skate park in Stanley Park vandalised days after grand opening

The 4,000 sqm facility celebrated its completion on May 17 after years of hard work from the Stanley Park Skate Park Development Group and Friends of Stanley Park volunteers.

READ: Blackpool’s new £220,000 skate park opens in Stanley Park

On Friday (May 27), it was covered in graffiti.

Big Woody’s Skateboard Shop owner Big Woody, who founded the Skate Park Development Group, said: “We're gutted about it.

“I think it happend on Friday night. I started getting messages on Saturday morning asking if I had seen what had gone on at the park, and we posted to the development group Facebook page expressing how disappointed we were.

“Three years we have been working at it, and the park had been up two weeks.

"All the riders, the BMX bikers and skateboarders are disgusted with it. We built this for them; it’s not for us, it’s their park. The riders are here every weekend, picking up rubbish afer people and keeping it all clean, and then this happens.”

He added that the group is now hoping to raise £35,000 for floodlights around the park to deter any future vandals.

Blackpool South MP Scott Benton said: “Absolutely appalled to see this disgusting vandalism on the new skate park in Stanley Park which has only been there a few weeks.

“What type of mindless idiot does this. If you have any information as to who it is please let me know and I’ll ensure that the police follow this up.”

Blackpool Council was approached for comment.